The CIA has taken an unusually overt step in intelligence competition with China, releasing a Chinese-language video aimed at recruiting informants within the PLA—prompting a swift response from Beijing. The move blends psychological signaling with traditional espionage, signaling a more public phase in U.S.-China intelligence rivalry. China framed the effort as foreign infiltration, underscoring its sensitivity to internal loyalty and control. The campaign aligns with a broader shift toward visible influence operations, a dynamic Isaac Stone Fish, CEO and founder of Strategy Risks, has pointed to as increasingly central to modern intelligence competition.