Two Chinese nationals have been charged with acting as agents of the People’s Republic of China’s government, accused of gathering intelligence on U.S. Navy personnel and bases while recruiting other military members to work for China’s primary foreign intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security (MSS), according to a Monday report.

The Department of Justice announced that Yuance Chen, a resident of Happy Valley, Oregon, and Liren Lai, who entered Houston on a tourist visa in April 2025, were arrested. Both face charges related to conducting covert intelligence operations in the U.S. on behalf of the MSS.

In addition to recruiting potential MSS assets and collecting sensitive information on service members and military installations, the two men are also accused of facilitating a “dead drop” cash payment on behalf of the MSS.
The FBI arrested both men on Friday: Chen in Happy Valley and Lai in Houston, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), according to Fox.
“Today’s arrests reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our national security and safeguarding the integrity of our military,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News.

“The individuals charged were acting on behalf of a hostile foreign intelligence service — part of the Chinese Communist Party’s broader effort to infiltrate and undermine our institutions,” he continued.