2010–2012 dismantlement of CIA espionage networks in China

none October 2026 October 2026 2010–2012 dismantlement ofCIA espionage networks in China China 2010–2012 CIA espionage networks 30+ killed or captured Ministry of State Security Between 2010 and 2012, espionage networks of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States were dismantled by Chinese intelligence authorities in an intelligence breach. Intelligence gathering in the country by the United States was hindered for years afterward. A large number of informants were killed,2017-05-22 Chinese paper applauds anti-spy efforts after NY Times report CIA sources killed en Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-espionage-idUSKBN18I059 2023-09-05 2023-08-25 https://web.archive.org/web/20230825104513/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-espionage-idUSKBN18I059 live while many others were imprisoned.CIA rebuilding spy networks in China a decade after losing agents, director reveals https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jul/20/cia-rebuilding-spy-networks-china-decade-after-los/ 5 September 2023 5 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230905071427/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jul/20/cia-rebuilding-spy-networks-china-decade-after-los/ live It was initially estimated that between 18 and 20 sources were killed. Later estimates concluded that at least 30 sources were lost.The CIA falsely believed it was 'invincible' in China https://www.businessinsider.com/how-china-found-cia-spies-leak-2018-8 Business Insider 2023-09-05 2023-08-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20230827074142/https://www.businessinsider.com/how-china-found-cia-spies-leak-2018-8 live The incident was considered one of the worst intelligence breaches of the CIA in decades.China Used Stolen Data to Expose CIA Operatives in Africa and Europe https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/21/china-stolen-us-data-exposed-cia-operatives-spy-networks/ Foreign Policy https://web.archive.org/web/20201221112115/https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/21/china-stolen-us-data-exposed-cia-operatives-spy-networks/ December 21, 2020Botched CIA Communications System Helped Blow Cover of Chinese Agents https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/15/botched-cia-communications-system-helped-blow-cover-chinese-agents-intelligence/ https://web.archive.org/web/20180902002821/https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/15/botched-cia-communications-system-helped-blow-cover-chinese-agents-intelligence/ September 2, 2018 Foreign Policy According to American officials, the number of sources lost during this period rivaled the number lost in the Soviet Union as a result of the leaks from Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen.Mazzetti Mark Goldman Adam Schmidt Michael S. Apuzzo Matt 2017-05-20 Killing C.I.A. Informants, China Crippled U.S. Spying Operations en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/20/world/asia/china-cia-spies-espionage.html 2023-09-05 0362-4331 2023-08-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20230827074141/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/20/world/asia/china-cia-spies-espionage.html live Background American espionage in China Causes for breach The causes of the security breach leading to the destruction of the network were widely disputed in the ensuing investigation by U.S. intelligence.Chinese paper applauds anti-spy efforts after NY Times report CIA sources killed https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/20/china-dismantled-cia-spying-operations-new-york-times 25 August 2023 The Guardian 25 August 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230825104510/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/20/china-dismantled-cia-spying-operations-new-york-times live China killed or jailed up to 20 US spies in 2010-2012 Times of Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/china-killed-or-jailed-up-to-20-us-spies-in-2010-2012-report/ 5 September 2023 5 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230905072359/https://www.timesofisrael.com/china-killed-or-jailed-up-to-20-us-spies-in-2010-2012-report/ live Mole/Turncoat Some investigators suspected that a traitor in the CIA had leaked the identities of informants.Lawler Dave January 19, 2018 How the CIA's spy network in China collapsed Axios https://www.axios.com/2018/01/18/how-the-cias-spy-ring-in-china-collapsed-1516315831 5 September 2023 5 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230905071431/https://www.axios.com/2018/01/18/how-the-cias-spy-ring-in-china-collapsed-1516315831 live In January 2018, a former CIA officer named Jerry Chun Shing Lee was arrested and would eventually plead guiltyhttps://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/05/former-cia-agent-lee-pleads-guilty-spying-for-china.html Former CIA Agent Pleads Guilty to Spying for China Elliot Hannon May 1, 2019 Slate2019-05-01 Former CIA Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Espionage https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/former-cia-officer-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-commit-espionage 2019-05-07 U.S. Department of Justice en 2021-11-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20211120115921/https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/former-cia-officer-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-commit-espionage live on suspicion of helping dismantle the network.Goldman Adam 2018-01-16 Ex-C.I.A. Officer Suspected of Compromising Chinese Informants Is Arrested en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/us/politics/cia-china-mole-arrest-jerry-chun-shing-lee.html 2023-09-05 0362-4331 2022-12-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20221205121611/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/us/politics/cia-china-mole-arrest-jerry-chun-shing-lee.html live Communications hack Foreign Policy reported that the CIA had botched the communications system, which was brought over from its operations in the Middle East, that was used to contact its informants in China. The internet-based system was imported under the assumption that it made the CIA "invincible". In November 2018 Yahoo News reported that the compromised communications system consisted of websites, some of which were identified by carefully crafting Google Search queries, a technique known as Google hacking.Dorfman Zach McLaughlin Jenna The CIA's communications suffered a catastrophic compromise. It started in Iran. https://www.yahoo.com/video/cias-communications-suffered-catastrophic-compromise-started-iran-090018710.html Yahoo News In September 2022 Reuters provided screenshots of nine specific websites used as part of the communication system, which consisted of "more than 350 websites" in total. The websites were written in various languages, suggesting that they were used to communicate with CIA operatives from at least 20 countries including not only Iran and China but also Brazil, Russia, Thailand and Ghana.SCHECTMAN JOEL SHARAFEDIN BOZORGMEHR America's Throwaway Spies https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-spies-iran/ 6 May 2025 Reuters Aftermath The CIA has struggled to rebuild its intelligence network in China; the effort has been described by officials as expensive and time-consuming. The cause of the leak that killed the agents was disputed by investigators, with some believing a mole was responsible, others believed the CIA comms system was hacked. In 2023, CIA director William Burns stated that the agency had "made progress" in rebuilding its intelligence networks in China.China vows countermeasures after CIA chief William Burns says agency is working to rebuild spy network https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3228775/china-vows-countermeasures-after-cia-chief-william-burns-says-agency-working-rebuild-spy-network 5 September 2023 4 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230904072043/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3228775/china-vows-countermeasures-after-cia-chief-william-burns-says-agency-working-rebuild-spy-network live References Category:China–United States relations Category:CIA activities in Asia Category:History of the foreign relations of China Category:2010s in American politics Category:Central Intelligence Agency controversies Category:Espionage in China