Two members of the United States Navy have been arrested on charges that they provided military secrets to China, compromising national security.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matt Olsen said his division would be “relentless” in pursuing accountability.
“Through the alleged crimes committed by these defendants, sensitive military information ended up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China,” he said.
Olsen added that China “stands apart” in the threat it poses to US security: “China is unrivaled in the audacity and range of its malign efforts to subvert our laws.”
The accused Navy service-members were identified as Jinchao Wei, also known by the first name Patrick, and 26-year-old Wenheng Zhao, who goes by Thomas.
The two sailors were involved in separate information-gathering operations while in the employment of the US Navy, according to the Department of Justice.
