China: Pentagon considers a new secret weapon in economic warfare

The Washington Post reports that the Pentagon is considering a human intelligence program to support U.S. economic competition with China and other rivals. Agents could pose as businesspeople or private-sector employees, but the project remains at the planning stage. The Pentagon denied the report through deputy spokesperson Jacob Bliss, while the CIA declined to comment. In September, CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis said the United States was expanding intelligence efforts focused on China, including in artificial intelligence, biotechnology and advanced semiconductors.