The Blubber

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is intensifying efforts to recruit Chinese nationals, aiming to leverage what U.S. officials describe as growing dissatisfaction with President Xi Jinping's leadership.

On Wednesday, the CIA released Chinese-language guidelines across social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Telegram, and X, explaining how individuals can securely reach out to the agency via its public and dark web sites.

“There are numerous people with access to valuable information who are dissatisfied with the Xi regime in China,” said CIA Deputy Director David Cohen in an interview.

Cohen explained that some individuals within China, for various reasons, disapprove of Xi’s direction and see collaboration with the CIA as a way to help their country.

This recruitment drive follows Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power over China, abolishing presidential term limits, filling leadership roles with loyalists, enforcing the study of Xi Jinping Thought, and stifling dissent. The nation’s strict Covid-Zero policies have left lasting economic effects, fueling public discontent and an increase in protests.

The U.S. has struggled to gather high-level intelligence on the workings of the Chinese government, with President Biden’s administration expressing frustration over limited insights into Xi’s inner circle. As China becomes more secretive, the need for intelligence on Xi’s decision-making process has become even more critical, especially with rising tensions over issues like Taiwan and advanced technologies.

The CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies have faced challenges in China. In 2017, The New York Times reported that Beijing dismantled several CIA spying operations over the course of years.

China, in response, has increased its public campaigns warning citizens, government employees, and students about foreign espionage. The Chinese government has even restricted access to certain types of information, such as weather data, from reaching foreign entities.