After a 2015 deal between Washington and Beijing to curb cyber operations, the ministry took over more espionage work. The Justice Department later accused hackers linked to it of trying to steal U.S. technology and break into American networks. By 2023, it had become a rival to the CIA. Researchers cited in the report said it is now many times larger than the CIA, collecting human intelligence, intercepting electronic communications and running counterintelligence. It uses AI to pick and profile targets, has built a wider spy network through aggressive recruiting and has used its bigger budget to support Xi’s goal of challenging U.S. dominance.