Two Chinese nationals charged with spying on U.S. military for Beijing

The U.S. Justice Department announced charges against two Chinese citizens accused of spying inside the U.S. on behalf of Beijing.

The suspects allegedly took photos of a naval base, coordinated cash dead-drops, and tried to recruit military personnel as intelligence assets.

Yuance Chen, 38, a lawful permanent resident since 2015, and Liren "Ryan" Lai, 39, who lives in China but travelled to the U.S. multiple times, were taken into custody following a Justice Department investigation.

Chen was arrested in the U.S., while Lai was apprehended during one of his visits to the country. Both face charges of acting as unregistered foreign agents.

It's allegeded that court documents show the pair secretly gathered intelligence on U.S. Navy personnel and facilities. Officials say Chen took photos of a Navy recruiting station in California and a naval base in Washington state, which were allegedly sent to Chinese intelligence.

They are also being accused of coordinating a cash dead-drop of at least $10,000 and worked to recruit Navy employees for espionage, gathering personal details of recruits including names and hometowns.

FBI affidavits reveal conversations assessing which Navy personnel could be potential spies.

Attorney General Pam Bondi called the case evidence of China’s “sustained and aggressive effort” to undermine U.S. security.

However, Beijing has always denied claims of spying on the US. and previously has accused America of discriminatory tactics.

The Chinese embassy in Washington has not responded to requests for comment on these latest arrests.

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