Leaking Exercise Plans, Radar Systems to Warship Armament to China, Two US Sailors Arrested

Illustration. (Pixabay/peterbwiberg)

JAKARTA - Two United States Navy sailors have been arrested on suspicion of passing sensitive national security material to China, United States officials said Thursday.

NCO Wenheng Zha, 26, was charged with conspiracy and bribery in connection with receiving nearly $15,000 in exchange for photographs and videos containing sensitive US military information, the officials said.

Another sailor, Jinchao Wei, whose age was not disclosed, was charged with conspiring to transmit national defense information to China in exchange for thousands of dollars.

Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen told reporters in San Diego that because of the two men's actions, "sensitive military information ended up in the hands of the People's Republic of China."

Zhao is accused of sending plans for US military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region, electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system at a US military base in Okinawa, Japan, as well as security details for US Navy facilities in Ventura County and San Clemente Island outside Los Angeles to people he worked with, according to US officials.

Wei is accused of disclosing information about the USS Essex, the amphibious assault ship on which he served, as well as other American warships, including dozens of technical manuals detailing the Essex's armament, force structure, and operations.

However, contact details for Wei and Zhao were not immediately available.

US officials at the press conference condemned China's espionage campaign on Thursday.

"There is no greater, multigenerational threat to the United States than China," said FBI Special Agent Stacey Moy.

"Beijing will stop at nothing to attack the United States in its strategic plan to become the world's sole superpower," he continued.

Separately, the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the allegations.

It is known that US-China relations have been strained for years due to various issues from national security to trade.

The United States accuses China of espionage and cyberattacks, accusations Beijing denies. On the other hand, China has also stated that it is under threat of espionage.