Beijing opposed the "hyping up the so-called Chinese spies" narrative after two Chinese nationals were arrested in the United States for espionage and for allegedly seeking to recruit members of the US Navy to serve as intelligence assets for China.

Two Chinese nationals have been charged with spying inside the United States on behalf of Beijing, including by taking photographs of a naval base, coordinating a cash dead-drop and by participating in efforts to recruit members of the military who they thought might be open to working for Chinese intelligence.

U.S. prosecutors have charged two Chinese nationals with acting as agents of China's security service, accusing them of gathering intelligence about U.S. Navy bases and trying to identify Navy members willing to spy for Beijing,