China accuses government employee of spying with CIA, second spying claim in month

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Beijing has publicly accused a government employee of spying for the United States ‘ CIA, marking the second high-profile espionage case in China this month.

The Ministry of State Security revealed that a cadre working in an undisclosed ministry was allegedly recruited by the CIA while he was studying in Japan.

The 39-year-old suspect’s surname is Hao. He came into contact with a US embassy official in Japan when applying for a US visa. Beijing accused the US official of developing a close relationship with Hao and recruiting him into the CIA.

The official later introduced Hao to a colleague who was a CIA officer, who eventually asked Hao to return to China and work in the country’s “main and important” department. Hao signed an espionage agreement given to him by a CIA officer and received “significant” training before getting a job at an undisclosed Chinese ministry.

The Chinese Ministry of State Security disclosed this disclosure 10 days after exposing another Chinese national spying for the CIA. Both the United States and China have accused each other of spying in recent years.