Two Chinese nationals have been arrested and charged with spying for China on U.S. soil, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced.
The DOJ revealed that the suspects were acting as covert agents for the Chinese Communist Party’s Ministry of State Security (MSS).
According to federal prosecutors, Yuance Chen, of Happy Valley, Oregon, and Liren Lai, who entered the United States on a tourist visa in April 2025, allegedly engaged in clandestine intelligence operations on behalf of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The spying operation targeted American military members.
Their alleged efforts included surveilling U.S. Navy personnel, gathering sensitive information on American military bases, and attempting to recruit American service members to spy for the Chinese regime.
The charges were reported by the Conservative Brief, which noted that the men even coordinated a “dead drop” cash payment to reward the transfer of classified information to Chinese handlers.
The FBI, with support from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), arrested Chen in Oregon and Lai in Houston on Friday.
“Today’s arrests reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our national security and safeguarding the integrity of our military,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
“The individuals charged were acting on behalf