China Accuses CIA of Launching “All-Out Spy War”

Rising Tensions: China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) ignited a new wave of tension between the US and China by accusing the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of launching an “all-out spy war” against China.

Escalating Espionage: The MSS, in a post on the Chinese social media platform WeChat on February 18th, claimed the CIA has significantly increased its resources dedicated to China, doubling its budget allocation for China-related operations in just two years. They further allege the agency is actively expanding its Mandarin speaker workforce and intensifying espionage efforts across all its departments.

Spycraft and Statecraft: The accusations stem from a recent article by CIA Director William Burns in Foreign Affairs magazine, titled “Spycraft and Statecraft.” In the article, Burns emphasizes China as the agency’s top challenge and outlines their commitment to addressing the geopolitical competition with China.

China’s Response: The MSS views the increased focus on China and the establishment of the China Mission Center within the CIA as concrete evidence of an “all-out spy war.” They criticize the US for “smearing” China’s recent counterespionage law, which they claim is a necessary response to safeguard national security against heightened US espionage activities.

Internal messaging: The bilingual publication of the MSS statement on WeChat suggests an attempt to garner domestic support and raise awareness about China’s stance on the issue. This aligns with previous instances where the MSS used similar tactics to emphasize the importance of national security and counterespionage efforts.

Tenuous Stability in US-China relations: The accusations come amidst efforts to stabilize US-China relations under the “San Francisco vision,” established during last year’s summit between President Biden and Xi Jinping. The MSS highlights this apparent contradiction between diplomatic efforts and the CIA’s alleged actions, further straining the already tense relationship.

Uncertain Future: The accusations and potential countermeasures from China raise concerns about a potential escalation in the US-China intelligence war. Whether this translates into concrete actions or remains a war of words is yet to be seen. However, the situation underscores the complex and often adversarial nature of the relationship between the two superpowers.

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