Hmm. I guess if their cover is blown, there's low to no risk of compromise to active staff, but I am amazed this level of interplay isn't being weaponised against people both sides of the ocean. If the stories about left wing militancy in Shanghai are to be believed, this kind of anti-soviet action might be seen as very very wrong, even if the USSR is not entirely friendly.

Chinese political dynasties last a long time. People with some power, local or national, will be related to, if not actively part of this deal. I guess in the end, if the deal was sanctioned at the top, "that makes it ok"

From the other side, cooker theorists of the dangers of the state would look at the CIA taking intel. from China and say "we knew! we knew they were part of the grand conspiracy"

Cracking good story. Reminded me of the thing about the soviets showing off space tech at a world trade fair and the US getting to do usable intelligence of the plastic fakes, and bits of space trash, to help them understand soviet capability. Showing off how good you are, has costs.