Chinese nationals made nearly 100 bold attempts to infiltrate US national security sites, says report.
Chinese Nationals Probe American Military Bases, Sparking Espionage Concerns
A new report in The Wall Street Journal reveals that Chinese nationals have been accessing American military bases and other sensitive sites up to 100 times in recent years.
Officials, who chose to remain anonymous, have labeled these incidents as “a potential espionage threat.”
A joint agency group, including the Defense Department, FBI, and other agencies, conducted a review of these incidents and identified a pattern.
While the methods of intrusion vary, from scuba divers near a Florida base to trespassers on a New Mexico missile range, the common thread appears to be testing security measures.
The individuals involved in these intrusions are typically Chinese nationals who are coerced into carrying out these actions and then reporting back to their government. They often use scripted language to explain their presence in rural areas with little to no tourism.
According to the report, many of these trespassers are deliberately detained and subsequently deported. However, Chinese Embassy representative Liu Pengyu dismissed the report as “purely ill-intentioned fabrications.”
The state-run Global Times also criticized the report, referring to it as “hype” and “an insult to readers’ intelligence.”
Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado suggested that Congress may need to address this issue, as trespassing is not typically considered a federal crime.
Emily Harding, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, highlighted China’s advantage in being able to send a large number of people for intelligence collection, even if some of them are caught.
Access to these sites is sometimes gained by speeding through security checkpoints, according to Pentagon representative Sue Gough.
Incidents such as a vehicle packed with Chinese citizens driving through a security checkpoint at Fort Wainwright in Alaska have raised concerns. In this particular case, a drone was discovered in the vehicle.
Retired Air Force general David Deptula suggested that these intrusions could be a tactic to leave behind sensors that gather valuable information.
Overall, the report highlights the ongoing challenge of protecting American national security sites from potential espionage threats.
Source: The Western Journal
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