WASHINGTON: US authorities said on Thursday that two American Navy personnel have been arrested on charges of sharing sensitive national security information with China.
Reuters quoted a US official as saying Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, was charged with plot in connection with taking about $15,000 in exchange for videos and photographs of sensitive U.S. military information. Similarly, American Navy sailor, Jinchao Wei, was also charged with conspiring to send defence information to Beijing in exchange for thousands of dollars, Reuters reported.
Two American Navy Sailors Arrested on Charges of Sharing Secret Information with China
Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen told the media in San Diego that due to the men’s acts, “sensitive information ended up in the hands of China.”
As per media reports contact details for Zhao and Wei could not immediately be located. U.S. officials at the news conference denounced China’s espionage drive Thursday. However, the Chinese Embassy in the US did not respond over the allegations levelled by US officials.
The development comes, as the Pentagon said on Wednesday that its top official for Asia spoke with an official from Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an infrequent high-level talks between senior officials of China and the US.
In a statement, a Pentagon spokesperson said, “Assistant Secretary Ratner and Director Yang discussed US-China defense ties, and regional security matters,”.
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The spokesperson was referring to the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, Ely Ratner, and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs DG Yang Tao.
“Ratner also stressed the Department’s current commitment to maintaining open lines of military-to-military communication between the two sides,” the spokesperson maintained. Washington-Beijing ties have been tense for several years over a range of trade and national security issues.
Washington and Beijing ties have been tense for several years over a range of trade and national security issues.
