American spies are saying the quiet part out loud to Chinese officials: Their knowledge of Beijing's secrets would be welcome in Washington.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has taken to social media to publish slickly produced videos in Mandarin with Chinese subtitles. One features a senior Chinese official making the dramatic decision to contact the U.S. spy agency, seemingly after watching two colleagues be disappeared by the communist government. It's all part of a bold public pitch by the CIA to lure disaffected bureaucrats to spy for the U.S.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe has confirmed the videos are "aimed at recruiting Chinese officials to steal secrets." Links are provided with instructions on how to contact the spy agency in a secure manner.

China's foreign ministry has labelled the initiative "a naked political provocation," and the country has warned it will take steps to confront "infiltration and sabotage activities" accordingly.