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The Spy Who
The Spy Who

The Spy Who Outplayed Nixon | A gift for Mr. Lee | 2

March 10, 2026 • 37m

Summary

⏱️ 8 min read

Overview

This episode chronicles Larry Chin's extraordinary 30-year career as a Chinese spy embedded in U.S. intelligence. From passing his 1970 CIA polygraph test to stealing Nixon's secret China diplomacy plans, Chin provided invaluable intelligence that helped Beijing during historic U.S.-China negotiations. The episode follows his eventual retirement, his dangerous decision to continue spying while concealing his retirement from Beijing, and the CIA's discovery that a Chinese mole exists within their ranks.

Beating the Polygraph

In February 1970, Larry Chin faces his first polygraph test as part of a promotion that would grant him top-secret clearance at the CIA's Foreign Broadcast Information Service. Despite being a Chinese spy for nearly two decades, Chin employs a clever mental technique to defeat the lie detector. By translating questions from English to Mandarin and back in his head, he creates a calming distraction that steadies his physiological responses, allowing him to pass the test and gain access to even more valuable intelligence.

  • Chin translates examiner's questions between English and Mandarin to calm himself during polygraph
  • The translation process successfully steadies his breathing and heart rate, defeating the polygraph
  • Chin passes the test and receives top-secret clearance, positioning himself exactly where China wants him
" I know the society, the bureaucracy. I guess you could say I know how the Chinese think. "

Stealing Nixon's Game Plan

Shortly after passing his polygraph, Chin is asked by his boss to review a top-secret presidential memorandum outlining Nixon's entire strategy for restoring diplomatic relations with China. Recognizing the document's extraordinary value, Chin smuggles it out of the office, photographs it at home, and arranges an urgent meeting with his Toronto contact. Within days, Nixon's complete negotiating position is in Beijing's hands, giving China an unprecedented advantage in upcoming diplomatic talks.

  • Chin receives access to presidential review memorandum stamped top secret outlining Nixon's China strategy
  • Document reveals what President Nixon is prepared to give up at the negotiating table
  • Chin photographs the document at home and uses emergency contact protocol to pass it to Chinese intelligence
  • He successfully launders the exchange through a scripted encounter at a Toronto strip mall
" It's America's entire game plan, and it would be invaluable to Beijing. "

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