Big Take: The Sixth Bureau

Episode 3: Suck, Squeeze, Burn, Blow

Date: February 20, 2026
Host: Bloomberg & iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This gripping episode explores the secretive and high-stakes world of commercial jet engine technology and the international espionage swirling around it. Focusing on the case of MSS (China’s Ministry of State Security) officer Xu Yanjun and the saga of stolen aviation secrets from GE (GE Aviation/GE Aerospace), the hosts take listeners from the glittering Paris Air Show to the covert manipulation of LinkedIn, revealing how cutting-edge American engineering became the target of Chinese spycraft.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. The Paris Air Show: A Stage for Technology—and Espionage

[02:16 – 08:38]

• Setting the Scene:
  Hosts Jordan Robertson and Drake Bennett attend the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, describing it as “the greatest repository of knowledge about the industry you’re going to find on a global basis.”
  —Richard Aboulafia, aviation consultant [03:02]

• Industry Giants:
  The air show brings together both “airframers” (like Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin) and crucial engine makers—primarily GE, Rolls Royce, and Pratt & Whitney.

• Technical Marvel:
  The GE9X engine is showcased—“the most powerful commercial jet engine ever made.” Its carbon fiber composite technology is considered cutting-edge and closely guarded.

• Jet Engineering Explained:
  “Jet propulsion is actually pretty straightforward. It boils down to four: suck, squeeze, burn, blow.”—Richard Aboulafia [04:43]

  • Suck: Pull in air
  • Squeeze: Compress it
  • Burn: Combust it
  • Blow: Expel for propulsion

• The Stakes:
  Only three companies and two countries (US & UK) can build such engines—excluding China, which frustrates Chinese ambitions.

2. China’s Ambition and the Spy Game

[05:51 – 09:45]

• China’s Catch-up:
  While China has matched global leaders in smartphones and electric vehicles, it lags in commercial jet engines.

• Chinese Spies at the Air Show:
  Xu Yanjun and his team from the MSS used elaborate counter-surveillance (posing as tourists on a “lads on the lash” European trip) to mask their true intent—espionage.

  • “Basically, it looked like these five or six MSS officers…were a bunch of lads out on the lash.”
    —FBI Special Agent Bradley Hull [07:34]

• Surveillance Route:
  Xu’s group partied in various cities—Athens, Santorini, Venice, Florence—to evade detection before finally entering the Paris Air Show.

• Mission at Paris:
  They observed US Predator drones, met unspecified contacts, and Xu did luxury gift shopping for superiors.

  • “He spends thousands of euros, and yet when he gets home, it’s clear his gifts don’t get the reaction he was hoping for.” [09:05]

3. Xu Yanjun’s Personal Crisis

[11:15 – 14:04]

• Diary of Discontent:
  Xu’s journal entries reveal growing depression, career frustrations, and romantic disappointments.

  • “Feeling like I’m abandoned by the whole world. Work, relationship, money, none of it is going well.” —Xu’s diary, May 19 [11:27]

  • He documents heartbreak with “Peach,” workplace humiliation, and losses in the stock market.

• Workplace Yo-Yo:
  Xu is promoted then berated, celebrated then criticized for mistakes. He feels betrayed by his mentor and boss “Zha.”

  • “Having a leader like this, what’s the point?” —Xu [13:37]

4. A Source Identified: Social Media as a Hunting Ground

[14:04 – 16:39]

• Turning Point—LinkedIn:
  Xu and the Sixth Bureau turn to LinkedIn, a “wonderful spotting tool for the MSS” to identify potential sources.

  • “It was like a candy store.” –James Olson, former CIA officer [15:01]
  • “They’ve got their resumes on there. They brag about the projects they’ve been working on. It’s all right there.” —James Olson [15:31]

• Target—David Jun:
  David’s profile lists his work at GE on composite materials for the GE9X; being Chinese-born makes him an ideal MSS target for patriotic appeals.

5. The Recruitment Attempt: Academic Cover

[16:39 – 21:30]

• Initial Outreach:
  A dean from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), “Chen Fang,” contacts David Jun, inviting him to deliver a technical talk during his planned visit to China.

• David’s Response:
  He’s receptive and sets up the visit, noting:

  • “When I pass by Nanjing, if time allows, I am happy to pay a visit to NUAA.” —David Jun [18:55]

• Critical Mistake:
  Before departing, David copies roughly 41,000 files from his GE computer, transferring five to his personal laptop—intending to use them in his China presentation.

• The Meeting in Nanjing:
  David meets with “Xu Hui” (actually Xu Yanjun) and delivers a technical lecture, for which he receives €3,500 and expensive tea as gifts.

  • “They’re kind of probing. They’re seeing how far he will go, whether he is someone who can be induced to talk more than he should.” —James Olson [20:45]

• Aftermath:
  Back home, David receives messages from Xu Hui urging future collaboration. David asks repeatedly what materials he should bring next time, now less concerned about GE secrecy.

6. The Operation Turns: The FBI Steps In

[21:30 – 23:14]

• Unexpected Twist:
  The FBI has recruited David as a counter-intelligence asset. The seemingly eager replies Xu receives are crafted by FBI Special Agent Bradley Hull.

  • “We had to make the story seem as accurate and truthful as possible. I wanted for my counterpart in the MSS to see and to think, oh, it’s still my guy. He’s still working for me.” —Bradley Hull [22:49]
  • “The goal of a good intel operation is to talk to the officer. You know, Spy v. Spy.” —Bradley Hull [22:54]

• Bait Laid:
  “That’s when you cast your line to see if they’ll at least nibble. And they bit.” —Bradley Hull [23:14]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jet Engine Monopoly:
  “There are only three companies and two countries in the entire world that can build a decent commercial jet engine.”
  —Richard Aboulafia [05:40]

• On Social Media’s Risks:
  “LinkedIn is a wonderful spotting tool for the MSS.”
  –James Olson [15:12]

• On Xu’s state of mind:
  “At low point in my life, nothing works my way and liars get their ways.”
  —Xu Yanjun’s diary [14:04]

Timestamps of Major Segments

• [02:16] — Paris Air Show explained; the aviation industry’s biggest stage
• [03:57] — Introduction to the GE9X engine
• [04:43] — Jet propulsion’s “suck, squeeze, burn, blow” analogy explained
• [06:41] — Spycraft at the Paris Air Show
• [07:34] — MSS agents’ counter-surveillance “European party trip”
• [09:45] — Xu Yanjun’s personal and professional breakdown
• [14:50] — LinkedIn as a hunting ground for spies
• [15:46] — Introduction of David Jun, GE engineer
• [16:39] — Initial approach from Chinese university “dean”
• [20:04] — Nanjing visit: recruitment attempt unfolds
• [21:22] — Messages after return—collaboration advances
• [22:42] — FBI Special Agent Bradley Hull reveals the sting
• [23:14] — “Spy v. Spy” – The FBI turns the operation

Tone & Themes

The episode masterfully combines technical fascination (the marvels of jet engine engineering) with cloak-and-dagger tension. There’s an undercurrent of frustration and vulnerability in the Chinese agent’s personal diary, making the stakes feel personal as well as geopolitical. The hosts maintain a level tone, mixing journalistic detachment with moments of ironic humor (describing LinkedIn as both “boring” and a “candy store” for spies).

For Next Time

The episode ends with the successful FBI sting dangling over the story—Xu Yanjun, convinced he’s recruiting an insider, is actually communicating with American law enforcement:

• “You’re going head to head with some very smart people on both ends and each side has to be smarter than the other. And I could just see the jubilation with the FBI that he’s coming our way.” —James Olson [24:43]

Summary prepared for listeners who want the drama, insight, and context of episode three, “Suck, Squeeze, Burn, Blow,” without the filler.