Two US Navy sailors arrested for sharing military secrets with China

Two US Navy sailors were arrested for allegedly sharing sensitive military information with China.

The sailors— 22-year-old Jinchao Wei and 26-year-old Wenhen Zhao— were arrested on Wednesday (Aug 2), federal officials said on Thursday.

According to officials, they provided sensitive details on wartime exercises, naval operations and critical technical material.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

While Wei was charged for espionage involving conspiracy to send national defence information to Chinese officials, Zhao was accused of taking bribes in exchange for giving sensitive US military photos and videos to a Chinese intelligence officer between August 2021 and May this year.

Sensitive military info ended up in China's hands

Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen at a press conference in San Diego said the “sensitive military info ended up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China.”

"There is no bigger, multi-generational threat to the United States than from the government of the People's Republic of China, the PRC, and the Chinese Communist Party," said Stacey Moy, the FBI special agent in charge of the San Diego Field Office.

"The PRC will stop at nothing to attack the United States in its strategic plan to become the world's sole superpower."

However, the officers did not disclose whether there was any connection between the two arrests or if they were in touch with the same Chinese intelligence officer.

According to the Justice Department, Wei came in contact with a Chinese government intelligence officer in February 2022, and provided photographs and videos of the ship he served on.

Rarely used statute invoked

The details he provided included technical and mechanical manuals as well as details about the number and training of Marines during an upcoming exercise.

As a result, Wei was charged Espionage Act statute, a rarely used law that makes it a crime to gather or deliver information to aid a foreign government.

Federal officials allege Wei was paid thousands of dollars for sharing the information.

The second sailor, Zhao, is accused of sharing information, including operational plans for a US military exercise in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Prosecutors say Zhao also surreptitiously recorded information that he handed over, AP news agency reports.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE