House Panel Records Calls With Man Offering Payment for Information on China Policy

A man identifying himself as Chris Chen reached out this winter to an aide on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party with an offer of $10,000 or more. Mr.

U.S. Foreign policy about China. U.S. trade or national-security issues, including the Trump administration’s plans for Venezuela in the aftermath of the January military operation there, would be especially valuable, Mr.

Chen said. To sweeten the pot, Mr. Chen repeatedly promised to send the aide $2,000 up front. He proposed a three-month trial period lasting until the end of March with total compensation of $10,000.

The outreach occurred this winter and the proposed trial period was to last until the end of March. The House aide reported the offer to his bosses on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party instead of accepting the deal. The panel quickly concluded that Mr.

Chen was not the Singapore-based business consultant he claimed to be but instead likely a Chinese intelligence officer or contractor seeking a new recruit. The House aide’s identity was withheld by The New York Times because he works on sensitive policy issues related to China. Rather than cut off contact, the committee’s Republican majority staff agreed to keep talking to Mr.

Chen. They recorded a series of calls this winter to learn more about Mr. Chen’s tactics and interests. The calls with Mr. Chen were recorded this winter. “I would like to propose ...

Chen stated according to The New York Times. The New York Times reported that the committee determined Mr.