The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has released a new Mandarin language video designed to recruit informants from within China’s military, marking a bold escalation in the intelligence competition between Washington and Beijing. The video, titled “Why We Step Forward: To Save the Future,” was published on social media platforms including X and YouTube on Feb. 12 and quickly attracted millions of views.
The message is aimed directly at members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, particularly officers who may feel disillusioned by recent political upheaval. The video portrays a fictional mid level military officer who becomes increasingly frustrated with corruption and political purges inside the Chinese Communist Party leadership before ultimately deciding to contact the CIA.
In the video, the officer criticizes the regime, saying, “Their power is built on countless lies,” and warns that capable leaders are being eliminated because they are seen as threats. He also expresses concern for his daughter’s future, explaining, “I could not let their madness be a part of my daughter’s future.”
Why the Timing Matters
The CIA’s campaign comes just weeks after Chinese leader Xi Jinping carried out a dramatic purge of top military leadership, including the removal of Gen. Zhang Youxia and Gen. Liu Zhenli from the powerful Central Military Commission. Analysts say this turmoil creates a rare opportunity for U.S. intelligence recruitment.
Su Tzu yun, a defense researcher at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the timing was deliberate. “The CIA has seized the opportunity to see if officers are willing to defect following the purges,” he explained, adding that Zhang’s removal appeared to be political rather than related to corruption.
Su also warned that removing experienced battlefield commanders could increase the risk of conflict. “Xi Jinping has never fought a war, yet he arrested Zhang Youxia, who had battlefield experience. If Xi is irresponsible and allows people with no battlefield experience to command, he may plunge China into war,” he said.
Another analyst, Shen Ming shih, said the video was carefully tailored to current conditions inside China’s military, including morale issues and tensions over Taiwan. He suggested that offering safety and citizenship options could motivate potential informants. “If they can obtain personal safety through the CIA, become U.S. citizens or refugees, and simultaneously promote changes within mainland China, this would be a very good thing,” Shen said.
Su described the effort as strategic psychological influence rather than immediate recruitment. “The presentation of the CIA video is like planting a seed,” he said, noting that the agency provides secure communication channels for those willing to expose wrongdoing.
Part of a Larger Recruitment Campaign
This is not the first such effort. The CIA has released multiple Mandarin language recruitment videos in recent months, making this the fourth targeting Chinese government insiders within about a year. Two earlier videos released last May focused on senior Communist Party officials and their assistants, while another released in January explained how to securely contact the agency online.
That January video reportedly attracted 64 million views in one month, demonstrating the reach of the campaign despite China’s internet censorship system.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe emphasized that the agency intends to continue the effort. “We’re going to continue offering Chinese government officials and citizens an opportunity to work toward a brighter future together,” he said.
A CIA official told reporters that the goal is also psychological. “We want Chinese officials to know that they are not powerless,” the official said, adding that the Communist Party “may not want to hear the truth, but we do.”
Former intelligence officers say the campaign continues because officials believe it is producing results. According to the CIA, previous videos reached millions and “inspired new sources.”
The Strategic Background: Intelligence Gaps and Competition
The United States has struggled to rebuild its human intelligence network in China since 2010 to 2012, when Chinese authorities reportedly dismantled a CIA spy network, killing or imprisoning more than a dozen sources. That history makes recruitment efforts especially important today.
At the same time, U.S. officials say China has aggressively pursued espionage inside the United States, sometimes targeting current or former government employees through fake consulting firms or corporate recruiting fronts.
Mark Cao, a U.S. based military technology analyst, cautioned that China still holds advantages in intelligence penetration. “The CCP doesn’t need to release such recruitment videos targeting the U.S. military or government, since it has various ways to infiltrate and for spying,” he said.
China’s Reaction and Condemnation
Chinese officials reacted angrily to the CIA’s new video, describing it as a political provocation and warning of retaliation.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy, said, “This move by the US is a serious infringement upon China’s national interests and a blatant political provocation.” He added that China would “take all necessary measures to resolutely combat the infiltration and sabotage activities of anti China forces abroad.”
China’s foreign ministry issued similar warnings, stating that Beijing is determined to safeguard national sovereignty and that “the schemes of anti China forces will not succeed.”
A Battle for Influence Inside China
Analysts say the recruitment videos reveal how seriously Washington views internal instability within China’s political and military system. Shen noted that the rapid release of multiple videos suggests the United States is closely monitoring power struggles inside the Communist Party and trying to exploit opportunities.
He compared the effort to intelligence operations connected to geopolitical events elsewhere, saying such recruitment could help Washington “understand the changing power struggles within the CCP and take further action.”
Ultimately, the campaign reflects a broader strategic contest between two global powers, where information and loyalty inside government systems may matter as much as military hardware. As Su put it, the goal may be to achieve victory without direct conflict by influencing the conscience of those inside China’s system.
For now, the CIA appears determined to keep pressing that advantage, one message at a time.