“Micro-Film” Publicly Urges CCP Officials to Defect and Leak Secrets – CIA Director: The Hotline Is Open

CIA Director John Ratcliffe believes the video can break through the "Great Firewall" and reach the intended audience. (Video screenshot)

[People News] The U.S.-China rivalry has extended from a trade war into an espionage battle. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recently released two Chinese-language promotional videos, openly calling on CCP officials to cooperate and provide classified intelligence. CIA Director John Ratcliffe explicitly stated, “The hotline is now open.”

According to Radio Free Asia, the two promotional videos are themed “Reasons to Choose Cooperation,” each about three minutes long. The plots are designed separately to resonate with both high-ranking and grassroots CCP officials, and the production style resembles that of a "micro-film." One episode, titled Be the Master of Your Fate, portrays a high-ranking CCP official walking on eggshells in a treacherous environment full of suspicion and political purges, fearing he may be the next to “disappear.”

Emphasising “Heaven Helps Those Who Help Themselves” and Taking Control of One’s Destiny

In a monologue, the character says that while he was rising through the ranks of the Party, he saw those in higher positions discarded like old shoes. Now, he realises that his comrades within the Party want to push him out. His fate is hanging by a thread, and people vanishing into thin air is no longer unusual. “But I have done nothing wrong. I can’t keep living in fear... My family’s future cannot be controlled by them.” In the end, he chooses to contact the CIA: “My goal hasn’t changed — I’ve just chosen a different method.” The screen then displays the message: “Your fate is in your own hands.”

Another episode, titled Creating a Better Future, shifts focus to a grassroots official. “He” recalls that from childhood, “the Party taught us that as long as we diligently followed the path laid out by our leaders, we would have a bright future.” But now, the sky that was supposed to be shared by all belongs only to a privileged few. “A lifetime of hard work turns out to be just working for someone else.” He realises he can no longer stand still and refuses to “lie flat.” Determined to pursue his own dream, he walks to a high vantage point, gazes at the city’s nightscape, and pulls out his phone to contact the CIA. The film concludes with the message: “Heaven helps those who help themselves — your destiny is in your own hands.”

The videos have been published on the CIA’s YouTube, Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and even on the dark web. They include detailed instructions on how to contact the CIA via the dark web and advise using encrypted VPNs or the Tor network to ensure anonymity and safety.

Belief That the “Great Firewall” Can Be Bypassed

Reuters and Bloomberg report that this is part of a broader strategy by Ratcliffe to strengthen intelligence gathering on the CCP. In a statement, Ratcliffe said that throughout U.S. history, no adversary has posed a greater challenge or stronger strategic competition than the Chinese Communist Party. The CIA must approach these threats with urgency, creativity, and perseverance.

In an interview with Fox News, Ratcliffe further stated that one of the CIA’s core responsibilities is to gather intelligence for the president and policymakers, including recruiting individuals who can help steal secrets. The videos show how such individuals can contact the CIA via the dark web to enhance their own and their family’s safety and well-being.

Ratcliffe expressed confidence that the videos will penetrate the CCP’s “Great Firewall” and reach the relevant people. He said the CIA’s hotline is now open, and all conversations will remain confidential. He encouraged the Chinese people to come forward.