4 min readJun 4, 2026 03:19 PM IST
Chinese spies are posing as recruitment agents via online job platforms like Linkedin, Upwork and Indeed to lure nationals of US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand into disclosing classified information. The warning was issued in a joint statement by the security agencies of the Five Eyes alliance on Wednesday.
The Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing network of the security agencies in US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The statement, titled “Safeguarding our Secrets” warns that the Chinese spies are trying to access privileged security and defence information to gain a tactical advantage over the Five Eyes.
How are government officials being ‘targeted’ by Chinese spies?
Persons in defence and intelligence, along with military personnel in the Indo-Pacific region are being targeted, according to the bulletin. It also warns of a risk to persons in indirect contact with the government like journalists, think tank employees, etc.
Page 1 of “Safeguarding our Secrets”The bulletin details the process of recruitment. It warns of how the Chinese recruiters are using legitimate sites like LinkedIn, Upwork, and Indeed to pose as recruiters. The resumes are selected based on the candidate’s access to sensitive information.
Page 2 of “Safeguarding our Secrets”
Candidates go through an initial “test”, in which they are asked to write a trial report on China’s bilateral relations or defence strategies. In the interviews, the recruiters conceal their identity and probe the Five Eyes nationals for classified information, according to the bulletin.
The recruiters then shift to different encrypted secure platforms to urge the candidate to reveal further privileged information, the bulletin warns.
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The payment structure of the “compensation” goes up to several thousand dollars, based on the amount of information revealed, the bulletin states.
Page 3 of “Safeguarding our Secrets”
The Five Eyes warns that the Chinese spies are “ultimately” seeking to “acquire privileged military, political and economic intelligence that can provide China with a strategic and tactical advantage over the Five Eyes”.
New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service Director General Andrew Hampton called the targeting “espionage” and that it is an “increasing concern” for the Five Eyes partners.
UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis said, “I urge all government and military personnel to follow the National Protective Security Authority’s advice to spot signs of online targeting and avoid inadvertently compromising our security.”
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China responds to targeting allegation
A Chinese spokesperson at the UK Embassy refuted the allegation. He said, “The allegation of so-called ‘Chinese espionage threat’ is entirely fabricated and constitutes malicious slander. We strongly condemn this.”
He also pointed out, “The ‘Five Eyes’ is the world’s largest intelligence network. Its members have engaged in unscrupulous espionage and intelligence-gathering activities around the globe. Their activities are the real threat to peace-loving countries.”
In November of 2025, MI5 had issued a similar alert. UK Minister Jarvis stated that MI5 had identified two LinkedIn profiles that had been created on behalf of the “Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS)”. They were named as Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen. However, it could not be confirmed.
The statement further stated that the “individuals engaged in the unauthorised disclosure of sensitive or classified information could face a number of consequences including prosecution under national laws, such as those relating to espionage”.
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