In a bold move straight out of a spy thriller, the CIA has released two cinematic recruitment videos in Mandarin aimed at encouraging Chinese officials to secretly work with the United States.
The agency hopes the emotional appeal and polished storytelling will strike a chord with individuals growing disillusioned with China’s ruling Communist Party.
Released Thursday across major social media platforms, the videos showcase fictional characters — a frustrated junior party official and a paranoid senior bureaucrat — grappling with the inequities and dangers of life under China’s authoritarian regime. Both characters ultimately choose to contact the CIA through secure means.
The campaign echoes similar efforts the CIA has rolled out targeting Russian citizens in recent years. According to U.S. intelligence officials, those efforts have seen promising results, and they’re now hoping to replicate that success in China.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement, “No adversary in the history of our Nation has presented a more formidable challenge than the Chinese Communist Party. These videos are part of our creative response to that threat.”
The agency’s message is clear: there’s a way out for those inside China who feel trapped or betrayed by the system — and the CIA is listening.
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The dramatic scenes depict real frustrations: corruption, inequality, and fear of political purges. In one video, a young official watches his superior flaunt wealth while ordinary citizens struggle.
In another, a veteran party member senses betrayal at a formal dinner, haunted by whispers of political downfall.
This isn’t the first time the CIA has reached out to Chinese citizens. A text-based dark web guide released six months ago reportedly attracted nearly a million views.
While Chinese authorities have yet to comment — the videos dropped during a national holiday — the move is bound to draw a sharp response from Beijing.
The CIA, however, shows no sign of backing down. As one official said, “If it wasn’t working, we wouldn’t be making more videos.”
