On SpyCast: Exploring an unmatched database of Chinese espionage
I was sitting inside the podcast studio of the International Spy Museum. Nick Eftimiades had just handed me his laptop so that I could scroll through his sprawling database.
Nick is a former senior intelligence officer with a 34-year career in government that spans the CIA, State Department, and Defense Intelligence Agency. In his retirement, he has documented nearly 900 cases of Chinese espionage, offering unparalleled insights into China’s intelligence operations. Just imagine who would want access to the database.
In this episode of SpyCast, Nick talks about the cases — sharing stories of strong and weak tradecraft. (Copying classified documents at a FedEx, anybody?) He described a recent case of the Chinese Communist Party planting a political candidate in California. And the longterm strategies to advance Beijing’s interests.
Under President Xi Jinping, Nick says the country has significantly expanded its intelligence capabilities. And Sun Tzu's ancient Art of War is a foundational philosophy guiding China’s strategy of controlling adversaries without direct confrontation, using tactics like covert influence and economic warfare.
“All our people are like fish in the ocean,” Nick says, quoting Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China. “They’re all eyes, watching any threat and all comes back to the [Chinese Communist] Party. A longterm asset in the Ministry of State Security is called ‘a fish on the bottom of the ocean.’”
In deeply tracking these cases, Nick says the United States should be worried. “We’re a long way off from from really being able to contend with it.”
Episode length: 31 mins
Listen: On Spotify | On Apple Podcasts
Recommend for future interview working with Matt Brazil he literally wrote the book on Chinese IC, along with Peter Mattis.
Strong history of Chinese espionage and operations.
Nothing is Unimaginable. Expect the worst from Trump.
It is not a stretch of the imagination, to think Trump will perpetrate a Reichstag type incident or other false flag event, to impose his demented will via martial law. Saturday April 5th promises to be a test of that premise, as nationwide protests, with the promise of millions of disgruntled citizens hitting the streets, to defend their inalienable rights.
Other mass protests have been well noted by the White House, but instead of considering the discontent of the public as a catalyst for a change in policy direction, Trump and his personal Department of Injustice have chose to label protesters as domestic terrorists. I expect the administration is preparing diligently for the coming weekend’s events, and while I encourage people to participate, I would also warn them to be on guard. Please keep your demonstrations peacefully loud, and keep your cell phones on airplane mode, because your attendance will be documented, for possible future retribution.
Trump’s flurry of Executive Orders hold many hints to the direction he intends to take America. Trump 2.0 is much more organized than his first term, and he has had four years to prepare for his return to power. He has reinforced his administration with deviously brilliant advisers and an extremely nefarious agenda. While his cabinet appointments may well be sycophantic unqualified yes persons, they are only expendable puppets.
The real threat stems from the Heritage Group, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk and a long list of racist republican organization, going back further than the Reagan years. The majority of EOs decreed since January 20th are not shoot from the hip, rantings seeking revenge by the President. These declarations are aimed at solidifying complete power to dictate every aspect of government and justice in the U.S., and to build an enforcement arm to quell unrest.
If the defensive shield provided by the cowering Republican Party begins to show signs of diminishing under the onslaught of public outcry, then Trump may well resort to a “wag the dog” type of reaction. When he feels his power is severely threatened, starting a war against an undeserving opponent, could provide, in his demented mind, a national cause to entice a begrudging citizenry to fall in line, due to a misguided sense of patriotic urgency.
It behooves us all to expect the worst scenarios imaginable from this president. He and the powerful cabal behind Project 2025 will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.
Stay strong people, for the battle has just begun. There will be many sacrifices, as in any revolution, but the cause is just, and much too noble to fail.
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