Tian Zhao

Tian-Zhao appears in the single-player campaign of Call of Duty: Black Ops II as the leader of SDC (Strategic Defense Coalition), a Chinese-led East Asian military alliance that serves as America's primary strategic rival in the year 2025. Admiral Briggs strongly dislikes Zhao, describing him as an ambitious hardliner that even the Chinese leadership can't control.

He appears as a Chinese agent and an ally of Alex Mason and Frank Woods during the mission in Afghanistan in 1986. After Mullah Rahmann revealed his true nature, Zhao was beaten up along with the CIA agents and was left to die in the desert along with them. They were saved by two unknown travelers, one of whom was seen by Mason as Viktor Reznov.

After David and Harper escape Anthem, they run straight into SDC soldiers. Tian-Zhao, who recognizes David as Alex Mason's son, orders his SDC soldiers to stand down, stating that if David is attempting to kill Menendez, then Zhao has no reason to kill David.

If the player successfully eavesdrops on Menendez's conversations in Fallen Angel, it is revealed that Menendez is planning to form an alliance with Zhao. U.S. Command authorizes Zhao's assassination in the final Strike Force Mission, Dispatch, where a Navy SEAL named Andrew? shoots him in the chest. With Zhao's death, less hardline Chinese leadership takes over the SDC, and SDC and JSOC end up forming an alliance against Menendez.