An undercover FBI agent approached a Chinese spy not as a threat, but as an ally. By fabricating a story that the spy's handler was arrested and communications were compromised, the agent created a sense of danger and then offered himself as the sole safe channel, effectively isolating and controlling the target.
The MSS operation was not aimed at traditional military secrets but at advanced commercial technology, specifically jet engines. This highlights a core national strategy: using state-sponsored espionage for economic warfare. The goal is to steal valuable IP, give it to Chinese firms, and systematically undercut American industry to shift global wealth and power.
The capture of MSS officer Xu Yanjun was a historic intelligence victory, not just for the arrest itself. Xu's unusually meticulous and personal record-keeping—including a diary—gave the FBI an unprecedented, multi-terabyte 'unicorn' view into the inner workings, methods, and personnel of China's highly secretive intelligence agency.