China Says It's Investigating Citizen Accused Of Being CIA Spy

Updated Aug 21, 2023, 10:18am EDT. China is investigating a Chinese national based on accusations they're spying for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, China's state security ministry said Monday, the second such charges China has leveled so far this month as the country cracks down on espionage and tensions with the U.S. mount. China's statement comes weeks after the Chinese government previously announced on August 10 it had arrested Chinese national Zeng Moumou based on similar accusations of spying for the CIA. Moumou, an employee at a military-industrial company with access to classified information, was allegedly recruited by a CIA official in Italy. The allegations come as China has ramped up its anti-espionage efforts in recent months, passing a new anti-espionage law that took effect in July. The news also comes after CIA Director William Burns told Bloomberg in July the agency had "Made progress" in China with bolstering its intelligence network there. The spying allegations come as tensions between China and the U.S. have escalated in recent months. The White House issued a statement Friday as part of President Joe Biden's summit at Camp David with leaders from Japan and South Korea that condemned the country's activities in the South China Sea, criticizing China's "Dangerous and aggressive behavior supporting unlawful maritime claims" in the heavily contested region, including "The militarization of reclaimed features; the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels; and coercive activities." China lodged a formal complaint over the statement on Monday, Reuters reports. China investigates citizen accused of spying for CIA, security ministry says.