A recent investigation uncovered that a Chinese intelligence agent posing as a Stanford
student, using the alias “Charles Chen,” targeted students conducting sensitive China-related research. The agent systematically approached primarily female students via social media, building personal rapport to gather information.
One target, identified as “Anna,” received persistent messages from Chen, who offered to fund her travel to China and shared detailed personal knowledge unknown to her. Chen advised her to keep the visit short to avoid visa scrutiny and to communicate only via WeChat, a platform monitored by Chinese authorities. When Anna deleted screenshots of their chats, Chen requested she remove the posts.
Suspecting espionage, Anna alerted experts and authorities. The investigation found Chen had no real ties to Stanford but had impersonated students for years to target multiple individuals. Experts believe Chen is an agent of China’s Ministry of State Security, aiming to identify sympathetic students and gather intelligence.
This case is part of a larger intelligence campaign focused on Stanford, especially targeting AI and robotics research. Under China’s “Made in China 2025” plan, Stanford is a prime academic target due to its leadership in frontier technologies.
Former U.S. officials warn that China increasingly uses civilians rather than professional spies to acquire sensitive information, encouraging students to breach conflict-of-interest rules and bring back controlled technologies.
Stanford University has yet to publicly address the specific allegations but emphasizes its strong commitment to national security.
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