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The CIA has released a new Mandarin-language recruitment video aimed at Chinese military officers, portraying a fictional, mid-level People’s Liberation Army officer grappling with corrupt leadership and ultimately choosing to contact the American intelligence agency.
The video is the latest installment in a public-facing recruitment campaign targeting China, which CIA Director John Ratcliffe has described as the agency’s top intelligence priority amid what he has called a “generational competition” with Beijing.
In the short film, the central character watches as qualified officers are removed and replaced by political loyalists lacking military credentials. Troubled by what he sees as corruption, and concerned about the impact on his young family, the officer decides to reach out to the CIA.
“The main character’s struggle represents the widely shared experience and values of those serving in the PLA,” a CIA official told CBS News, referring to the People’s Liberation Army. The video is meant to highlight what the agency describes as a growing gulf “between the Chinese elites who want what is best for their bank accounts and the Chinese citizens who want what is best for their country.”
The campaign is not directed at Chinese President Xi Jinping personally, the official said, but at individuals inside China “who may feel deeply concerned about the direction their country is headed in but feel powerless to do anything about it.”
In the wake of the video’s release, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing Friday that China will take “all necessary measures” against foreign espionage activities.
“China will take all necessary measures to resolutely combat infiltration and sabotage activities of foreign anti-China forces and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests,” he said.
In a statement, Ratcliffe said the CIA intends to build on the reach of its earlier efforts.
“Last year, CIA’s Mandarin video campaign reached many Chinese citizens, and we know there are many more searching for a way to improve their lives and change their country for the better,” Ratcliffe said. “We’re going to continue offering Chinese government officials and citizens an opportunity to work toward a brighter future together.”
The agency declined to provide specific metrics but said its previous Mandarin-language videos “reached millions of people and inspired new sources.” The CIA has seen “more and more people with insights on China volunteering their services and information via our website on the dark web,” the official said, adding: “If the videos didn’t work, we wouldn’t be releasing more videos.”
The new video, like its predecessors, includes operational security guidance. Its final screen displays Mandarin-language instructions on how to contact the CIA securely.
Although major U.S. social media platforms are blocked in China, the agency believes its content can still circulate. “Their wall is imperfect,” the official said, referring to Beijing’s so-called Great Firewall.
The campaign comes amid high-profile leadership shakeups within the PLA, including the removal of several senior military officers in recent months. The CIA official declined to draw a direct connection but suggested the parallels were notable. “The question to ask is, is art imitating life or life imitating art?” the official said.
China has long been identified by U.S. intelligence leaders as the foremost strategic challenge facing the United States. Ratcliffe has said publicly that China represents the CIA’s “top intelligence priority” and that the agency must provide a “decisive intelligence advantage” in the competition with Beijing.
Public recruitment campaigns represent an evolution in tradecraft for the agency, which in recent years has increasingly used cinematic online videos to reach audiences inside rival states, including Russia and Iran.
