Decoding Geopolitics Podcast with Dominik Presl

#99 Andrew Badger : Inside China’s Epic Campaign To Obtain America’s Secrets

6 snips
Dec 29, 2025
In this discussion with Andrew Badger, a former human intelligence officer and geopolitics lecturer, the focus shifts to China's extensive espionage tactics. He shares insights on how China has skillfully mobilized its citizens and companies to steal advanced technology, fueling rapid economic and military growth. Badger elaborates on civil-military fusion, and the role of global recruitments like the Thousand Talents program. With a deep dive into the implications of these operations, he highlights the West's vulnerabilities and the urgency for countermeasures.
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ANECDOTE

CIA Network Compromised By An Insider

  • Andrew Badger recounts the CIA's network in China being destroyed and the likely insider betrayal by Jerry Lee.
  • He links that collapse to poor coverage and a broader naivety about the Chinese intelligence threat.
INSIGHT

Espionage Fueled China's Fast Leap

  • China's rapid technological rise was heavily powered by large-scale industrial espionage and reverse engineering.
  • Andrew Badger argues this theft campaign helped China leapfrog Western innovation in critical industries.
INSIGHT

Espionage As A Strategic Duty

  • China treats espionage as a moral and strategic imperative rooted in Sun Tzu and civil-military fusion.
  • State law, no legal constraints, and blended civilian-military links give China an asymmetric intelligence advantage.
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