Around 100 instances recorded of Chinese citizens attempting to gain entry to sensitive U.S. military locations, states report.
Chinese Nationals Posing as Tourists Pose Spying Threat to U.S. Military Bases
Federal officials have raised concerns about Chinese nationals who are disguising themselves as tourists to test the security of U.S. military bases and other sensitive sites. Approximately 100 incidents have been reported, highlighting a potential spying threat.
These incidents often occur in rural areas where tourists are not commonly found. The Chinese nationals approach security guards using scripted language instead of engaging in normal conversation. When confronted, they claim to be lost.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a joint study by the Defense Department, FBI, and other agencies revealed that these Chinese nationals are required to transmit the information they gather back to the Communist Chinese government.
“The advantage the Chinese have is they are willing to throw people at collection in large numbers,” said Emily Harding, a former deputy staff director at the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. “If a few of them get caught, it will be very difficult for the U.S. government to prove anything beyond trespassing, and those who don’t get caught are likely to collect something useful.”
Some of these individuals have gained unauthorized access to military bases by speeding through security checkpoints. Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough admitted that these individuals are often cited criminally, barred from future installation access, and escorted off-base.
When contacted by the Journal, the Biden White House and the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment.
“The relevant claims are purely ill-intentioned fabrications,” declared Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington. “We urge the relevant U.S. officials to abandon the Cold War mentality, stop groundless accusations, and do more things that are conducive to enhancing mutual trust between the two countries and friendship between the two peoples.”
One notable case involved Chinese nationals attempting to force their way past guards at the military base in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, home to the Army’s 11th Airborne Division. Chinese nationals have also been repeatedly seen photographing the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the largest overland military test range in the U.S.
Chinese nationals were also found swimming near a Key West, Florida, military facility, claiming to be tourists. In addition, some were observed scuba diving near Cape Canaveral, where spy satellites are launched into space.
In a separate incident, the U.S. military used an F-22 Raptor armed with a single air-to-air A9X sidewinder missile to bring down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) expressed his concerns about China’s aggression, stating, “What we’re seeing is an unbelievable aggression by China. If you look at the balloon that flew over the United States, the Chinese police stations, the aggressiveness against our planes and ships in international waters, it goes right to the heart of what President Xi said when he stood next to Putin in Russia, where he said they’re trying to make change that had not happened in 100 years.”
Turner emphasized the need for the administration to take action, asserting that China has identified itself as an adversary and should be treated as such.
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