Article

China's intelligence strategy, rooted in the concept of the people's war, employs a layered approach to recruit and manipulate individuals, both Chinese and foreign. Historical instances include Qian Xuesen, who returned to China after being surveilled for suspected espionage, and Bo Jiang, a NASA contractor arrested in 2013 for attempting to steal sensitive data.

Recent trends show a shift towards recruiting ordinary individuals, such as U.S. Navy sailors, and targeting young Americans with ties to China. The CCP's espionage encompasses commercial sectors, leveraging state resources to benefit Chinese firms, contrasting with U.S. laws that restrict intelligence agency benefits to private companies.

The Salt Typhoon cyberespionage campaign exemplified this unrestricted approach, compromising numerous organizations globally. The U.S. response remains cautious and legalistic, with a preference for protecting civil liberties over aggressive counterintelligence measures.