The Sixth Bureau, Episode 1: Your Friend From Nanjing

SPEAKER_1 (0:02)

Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio, News.

SPEAKER_2 (0:13)

Today's date is Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 The time is 3, 12 p.m. The following is a consensual body recording with the subject, Ji Qiaoqun. The recording starts now.

Jordan Robertson (0:41)

There's a guy sitting in a red Chevy Malibu in front of an apartment complex near downtown Chicago. He's waiting for someone to walk out of the apartment building. After a few minutes, the person does. He's young, and he's wearing a warmup jacket and glasses. He has a buzz cut. His name is Ji Chaochun. The guy in the red car gets out, walks toward Ji, and yells to him in Mandarin.

SPEAKER_4 (1:09)

Are you Ji Chaochun?

SPEAKER_5 (1:11)

Yes. Hi.

SPEAKER_6 (1:13)

How may I help you?

SPEAKER_4 (1:14)

Is it a good time to talk?

SPEAKER_5 (1:15)

I beg your pardon?

SPEAKER_4 (1:16)

There's something I'd like to talk to you about.

SPEAKER_7 (1:21)

We were all holding our breath, because this is that interaction that we've prepared for.

Drake Bennett (1:27)

The two men are being watched.

SPEAKER_7 (1:30)

Ji's a little confused, a little flustered, and you can see that in his body language. He keeps his distance.

SPEAKER_4 (1:36)

You are a friend from Nanjing, say me to you.

Drake Bennett (1:41)

This reference to Nanjing, it's code. It's a way of saying, hey, we know the same people. And Ji, he understands it.

SPEAKER_9 (1:50)

Oh, I get it now.

SPEAKER_7 (1:53)

I think at that point, Ji's demeanor relaxed, and their body language got closer.

SPEAKER_4 (2:01)

Is it a good time to talk? Roughly, how long will it take? My car is parked over there, in red. No problem, no problem.

Drake Bennett (2:10)

The two men walk towards the red car and get in.

SPEAKER_4 (2:18)

I'm not sure if you are aware, something went down with the friends in Nanjing. I am not aware. Do you know home I am referring to?

Drake Bennett (2:25)

Ji hesitates. The man pulls out his phone.

SPEAKER_4 (2:31)

Let me show you this. It's Xu Yanjun.

Drake Bennett (2:38)

Xu Yanjun.

Jordan Robertson (2:44)

I have heard of him.

SPEAKER_4 (2:46)

Have you heard that something happened to him recently?

Jordan Robertson (2:48)

I am not aware. The stranger says his name is Chen, and suggests that the two of them go somewhere more private than his car. He says he has a room at the Hyatt, which is nearby. At first, Ji tries to get out of it. I really don't have time right now.

SPEAKER_9 (3:04)

I apologize.

Jordan Robertson (3:05)

But Chen pushes back. This is important.

SPEAKER_4 (3:10)

When people have issues, such as this talk with you, they come to me, but I do not want to talk too much about it because… Okay, I understand.

Jordan Robertson (3:19)

Ji gives in. They drive to the hotel.

SPEAKER_7 (3:22)

And it was immediate. Let's start moving. Let's start getting into place. So at that point, I left for the hotel and got to the lobby.

Drake Bennett (3:32)

Chen parks the car and the two men walk into the hotel.

SPEAKER_7 (3:37)

I am simply a spectator sitting near the hotel bar and enjoying my afternoon. But my true goal is to keep my eyes on the two individuals that are briskly walking into the hotel lobby and making their way to the elevator.

Drake Bennett (3:52)

The two men take the elevator up to a room. Ji sits down at a small table at the foot of the unmade bed.

SPEAKER_7 (3:59)

We had already gone into the hotel room and placed a camera.

Drake Bennett (4:03)

Chen takes off his coat and drapes it over a chair. He's dressed like an accountant, a blue button-down, khakis and a cell phone holster. He closes the curtains, but that plunges the room into complete darkness. So he reopens them. They both laugh awkwardly.

Jordan Robertson (4:24)

Chen sits down. He pulls a sheet of paper out of his pocket, unfolds it and hands it across the table. It's a recent article from a Belgian newspaper. Chinese spy arrested in Brussels at the request of the United States.

The spy is Xu Yanjun, the same person Chen name dropped to Ji back in his car. Ji knows Xu Yanjun well. Xu works for China's Ministry of State Security, or MSS, and so does Ji. Both of them are spies.

SPEAKER_7 (4:57)

We were aware of Ji Chaochun's relationship with his MSS handler, Xu Yanjun. Our goal was to use the information that his handler was arrested.

Drake Bennett (5:11)

Chen tells Ji that the friends in Nanjing don't know how Xu Yanjun's cover was blown.