U.S. spreads China-related spy claims while launching large-scale intelligence activities against China: Chinese FM

In response to some media reports about a U.S. Navy sailor being sentenced to 27 months in jail on Monday on China-related spy charges, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she did not know the specific situation, but added that the U.S. is spreading China-related spy claims while launching spying activities against China.

A former U.S. sailor was sentenced to 27 months in jail on Monday for accepting nearly $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for photos of unclassified private U.S. military information, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

"I don't know the specific situation, but I have noticed that senior U.S. intelligence officials have publicly disclosed that progress has been made in rebuilding the U.S. intelligence network in China," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday during a press briefing when asked about the spy charges.

While the U.S. is spreading information claiming that Chinese spies are involved in the case, it is publicly orchestrating plans to launch large-scale intelligence activities against China. This approach itself is very revealing. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national security, Mao said.

CIA director William Burns revealed in 2023 that his agency has "made progress" in rebuilding its spy networks in China. China has unveiled some U.S.-led espionage cases against China in 2023, for example, China's national security authority cracked a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) espionage case involving a Chinese government employee who had been managed by the Japan branch of the U.S. intelligence agency.