Two US Navy sailors have been arrested on suspicion of leaking critical national security information to China, according to US officials.
According to officials, Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, was charged with conspiracy and bribery in connection with receiving roughly $15,000 in exchange for images and recordings of secret US military material.
US 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.
Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen told reporters in San Diego that, because of the men’s actions, “sensitive military info ended up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China.”
According to US officials, Zhao is accused of sending plans for US military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region to his Chinese handler, as well as electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system on a US military base in Okinawa, Japan, and security details for US naval facilities in Ventura County and San Clemente Island outside Los Angeles.
Wei is suspected of leaking information regarding the USS Essex, an amphibious assault ship he served on, as well as other American warships, including thousands of technical manuals outlining the Essex’s weapons, power structure, and operations.
US officials at the press conference condemned China’s espionage campaign Thursday.
US-China relations have been tense for years over a range of national security and trade issues. The United States has accused China of espionage and cyberattacks, a charge that Beijing has rejected. China has also declared that it is under threat from spies.
Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen told reporters in San Diego that, because of the men’s actions, “sensitive military info ended up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China.”
