Headline Roundup • August 4th, 2023
2 Navy Sailors Arrested for Allegedly Passing Military Info to China
Defense And Security,China,Spying,US Navy,US Military,Justice Department,Espionage,Water And Oceans,Foreign Policy
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Two U.S. Navy sailors were separately arrested and charged with sending sensitive military information to Chinese intelligence officers, U.S. officials said Thursday.
The Details: The separate cases were both announced in the same Justice Department statement. One of the sailors, 22-year-old Jinchao Wei, allegedly began communicating with a Chinese intelligence officer in February 2022, eventually sending them photos and videos of the U.S.S. Essex, an amphibious assault ship, as well as technical and mechanical manuals. Another sailor, 26-year-old Wenheng Zhao, allegedly received bribes and transmitted sensitive information to a Chinese officer posing as a maritime economic researcher from August 2021 to May 2023.
Key Quote: In the DOJ statement, FBI counterintelligence Assistant Director Suzanne Turner said, “These arrests are a reminder of the relentless, aggressive efforts of the People’s Republic of China to undermine our democracy and threaten those who defend it,” adding, “The PRC compromised enlisted personnel to secure sensitive military information that could seriously jeopardize U.S. national security.”
How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread across the news media, generally without clear partisan bias.
Featured Coverage of this Story
US Navy
Two US Navy sailors were arrested for allegedly conspiring to pass sensitive security information to Chinese officials in separate plots, officials announced Thursday.
Jinchao Wei, a 22-year-old sailor aboard the San Diego-based USS Essex, was busted Wednesday on espionage charges after he provided China with detailed information of the ship and its crew.
Federal prosecutors alleged Wei made contact with a Chinese government intelligence officer in February 2022 and provided photographs and videos of the Essex, an amphibious assault ship that specializes in transporting and deploying helicopters.
Reuters
Two U.S. Navy sailors have been arrested on charges related to allegedly spying for China, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday.
Both are accused of having passed along national defense information to Chinese intelligence officials in return for cash payments, though their cases are separate.
Jinchao "Patrick" Wei, a 22-year-old petty officer 2nd class, was arrested Wednesday and charged with espionage -- more specifically, conspiracy to and committing the communication of defense information to aid a foreign government.
According to officials, citing the indictment against him, Wei served as a machinist's...
Two U.S. Navy sailors have been arrested on charges of handing over sensitive national security material to China, U.S. officials said Thursday.
Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, was charged with conspiracy and bribetaking in connection with taking nearly $15,000 in exchange for photographs and videos of sensitive U.S. military information, the officials said. U.S. Navy sailor, Jinchao Wei, whose age was not disclosed, was charged with conspiring to send national defense information to China in exchange for thousands of dollars.
