Foreign Ministry responds to FBI director's call for cooperation with China and Russia on transnational crime
美联邦调查局称希望同中俄合作打击跨国犯罪,外交部回应
At a regular press briefing on August 6, 2026, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded to remarks by FBI Director Kash Patel, who had expressed a desire to cooperate with China and Russia on combating transnational crime. Lin stated that China is open to strengthening dialogue and communication with U.S. law enforcement and is willing to continue cooperation in the law enforcement field based on the principles of equality, respect, and mutual benefit. He referred specific operational questions to the relevant authorities.
The view from inside
The Foreign Ministry's response, carried by the party-affiliated Global Times, frames China's position as one of principled openness. The phrasing "本着平等、尊重、互惠的精神" (in the spirit of equality, respect, and mutual benefit) is a standard diplomatic formula that signals China will engage only on terms it considers non-hegemonic. The briefing item is presented without additional commentary, treating the U.S. overture as a routine diplomatic query. The brevity and referral of operational details to "主管部门" (competent authorities) keeps the story contained, avoiding any domestic impression that China is eager for or dependent on such cooperation. The intended audience is the domestic policy-aware public, who will read this as a calibrated, non-committal signal of conditional engagement.
What an outside reader should notice
The Global Times report strips away nearly all context present in Western coverage. It omits Patel's characterization of the relationship as 'new and dynamic' and his acknowledgment that the two sides remain 'at odds on many issues.' It also makes no mention of the specific crimes cited by Patel — fentanyl trafficking, cyber fraud, child sexual exploitation — or the U.S. view of China and Russia as sources of criminal activity. The Chinese readout presents the exchange as a simple question about cooperation, not a significant geopolitical shift.
Key points
- FBI Director Kash Patel stated on August 5 that he hopes to cooperate with China and Russia on combating transnational crime.
- Patel claimed that over the past year, the U.S. and China conducted joint arrest operations and personnel exchanges.
- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded on August 6, expressing openness to dialogue and cooperation based on equality, respect, and mutual benefit.
- Lin Jian referred specific questions about operations to the competent authorities.
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