The Justice Department says two active-duty U.S. Navy personnel have been arrest on suspicion of spying for China.
According to the French news agency AFP. The two men are suspect of spying and selling classified information to Beijing. Including blueprints for warships and weapons systems, as well as radar systems and plans for a major US military exercise.
“These arrests are a reminder of the People’s Republic of China’s aggressive efforts to undermine our democracy. And threaten those who defend it,” said Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.
He said China compromised with officials to protect sensitive military information that could seriously threaten US national security.
Jinchao Wei, who worked aboard the USS Essex in San Diego. Turned over dozens of documents, photos, and videos about the ships’ operations and systems to China. The Justice Department said in a press release.
The 22-year-old, who was allegedly pay thousands of dollars for the information. Could face up to life in prison if convicted.
In a separate case, the Justice Department said Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, spied for China for nearly two years from his perch at Naval Base Ventura County in Los Angeles.
Zhao is accused of paying a Chinese intelligence agent $15,000 for information about large-scale US military exercises in the Indo-Pacific.
He is also accuse of selling electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system to a US military base in southern Japan.
U.S. Attorney General Martin Estrada said, “The officer violated his sacred oath to protect our nation by sending this sensitive information to an intelligence officer employed by a hostile foreign state.”
Unlike the majority of US Navy personnel who serve the nation with honour and courage, Mr. Zhao chose to sell out his colleagues and country through corruption.
