WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. has arrested a veteran State Department employee who concealed her extensive contacts with Chinese intelligence agents, who for years lavished her with thousands of dollars in gifts, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Candace Marie Claiborne, 60, of Washington, was charged with felony obstruction and lying to the F.B.I. after her ties to the Chinese were uncovered, the authorities said. Prosecutors did not disclose where or when the Chinese first approached Ms. Claiborne, but did reveal she had once served in Beijing and Shanghai.

According to a criminal complaint, Ms. Claiborne, who had a top secret security clearance and was required to report foreign contacts, repeatedly interacted with Chinese intelligence agents for five years.

“She purposefully misled federal investigators about her significant and repeated interactions with foreign contacts,” said Andrew W. Vale, the assistant director in charge of the F.B.I.’s Washington field office.