Security News > 2024 > January > US Navy sailor swaps sea for cell after accepting bribes from Chinese snoops

A US Naval sailor will face more than two years behind bars after pleading guilty to taking bribes from Chinese spies in exchange for sensitive military information.

Larissa L Knapp, executive assistant director of the FBI's national security branch, said China's efforts to undermine the national security of the US and its allies have been "Aggressive" and at times illegal.

"Today's sentencing demonstrates, yet again, the inability of China's intelligence services to prevent the FBI and our vital partners from apprehending and prosecuting the spies China recruits."

Tensions between the US and China have deteriorated over many years, but especially so over matters such as alleged espionage, trade, Taiwan, and the free flow of fentanyl into the US. The most recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, held in November and hosted at a San Francisco country estate, reportedly eased those tensions some, with the two countries announcing the re-establishment of military-to-military communications.

China dismantled the direct line between the two countries' forces in 2022 following a visit to Taiwan by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

China has previously threatened to reclaim Taiwan by force and responded to Pelosi's visit by launching a weekend's worth of military drills in the Taiwan Strait, both in the sea and air.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/01/09/us_navy_petty_officer_china_bribes/