FBI Under Kash Patel Builds New Law Enforcement Ties With China And Russia

FBI Director Kash Patel has built new law enforcement partnerships with China and Russia over the past year, aiming to gain help against transnational crimes such as fentanyl trafficking, cyber fraud and child sexual exploitation. The effort has included personnel exchanges, with Chinese officials visiting FBI facilities in the U.S. and FBI agents traveling to China for joint casework. Patel returned from a Beijing trip in late July, and a similar visit to Russia is tentatively planned for October.

Four Working Groups Formed With China

Patel said cooperation with China now spans four areas: cyber fraud, violent crimes against children, counternarcotics and a fugitive task force. “Every month, they send their working-level MPS officers here, and the following month we go there,” Patel said, adding that daily communication between the two sides “has also never happened before.”

Joint Operations Already Underway

In May, the FBI worked alongside China’s Ministry of Public Security and Dubai police in “Operation Sand Dollar,” a raid on a cyber scam center that led to 300 arrests and $300 million seized. Separately, an internal FBI memo credited cooperation with Chinese authorities for nine arrests and the shutdown of two chemical facilities tied to fentanyl precursor production. Chinese law enforcement also assisted the FBI’s Omaha field office in dismantling a child sexual abuse materials network, resulting in 16 arrests.

Patel Says Five Eyes Remains Untouched

Patel stressed the new partnerships are narrow and reciprocal, and will not replace the “Five Eyes” alliance with Canada, Australia, Britain and New Zealand. “They are both new and dynamic relationships, and we are extremely mindful of their adversarial approach on many matters,” Patel said.

Counterintelligence Concerns Raised

Former FBI supervisory agent Jeff Crocker warned that giving Chinese officials access to American facilities creates risk. “So this is great cover for them,” he said, calling China and Russia “our enemies, period.” Patel responded that surveillance measures are applied to all foreign visitors.