In the United States, two suspected Chinese intelligence officers have been charged with attempting to obstruct a US criminal investigation of Chinese tech giant Huawei. The US Justice Department announced that they were offering bribe to someone they thought could provide inside information.<br />'' <br />'' The defendants are accused of paying tens of thousands of dollars in digital currency, along with cash and jewellery, to a US official they thought they had recruited as an asset.<br />'' <br />'' But the person was actually a double agent working for the FBI, the department said. That prosecution, as well as two other cases involving Chinese operatives, was highlighted at a news conference.<br />'' <br />'' The event featured the heads of both the FBI and the Justice Department, a rare joint presence reflecting a concerted American show of force against Chinese intelligence efforts. Washington has long accused Beijing of meddling in US political affairs and stealing secrets and intellectual property.<br />'' <br />''The case connected to the Huawei probe dates to January 2019. The company, a top executive, and several subsidiaries had just been indicted on US charges of financial fraud, trade secret theft, and sanctions violations.