Jinchao "Patrick" Wei, a 25-year-old U.S. Navy sailor born in China, was convicted by a California jury on six counts, including espionage, conspiracy to commit espionage, and unlawful export of classified military data. Wei sold sensitive information about U.S. warships and Marines to a Chinese intelligence officer over approximately 18 months in exchange for $12,000. He was recruited via social media in 2022 and served as a machinist's mate aboard the amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Essex, holding a U.S. security clearance. Wei faces life imprisonment at his sentencing scheduled for December 2025. Separately, German federal prosecutors have charged Martin D., a U.S. defense contractor who worked at a U.S. military base in Germany from around 2020 until spring 2023, with espionage for allegedly offering sensitive U.S. military information to Chinese intelligence. He is now facing trial for "particularly serious" espionage offenses. These cases underscore growing concerns among Western democracies about espionage and foreign interference, particularly from China. Additionally, New Zealand intelligence agencies have issued warnings about increasing Chinese political interference and espionage threats, describing the current national security challenges as the toughest in recent times.