The Spectator | Ian Williams
Chinese espionage and influence operations on US soil are extensive and intensifying, exemplified by recent cases like Eileen Wang, mayor of Arcadia, pleading guilty to acting as an illegal Chinese agent, and Lu Jianwang's conviction for operating a "secret police station" in New York's Chinatown to target dissidents. These operations, described as the "tip of the iceberg," include intellectual theft from American AI labs via "distillation," smuggling billions in advanced chips despite export controls, and the FBI-exposed "Salt Typhoon" cyber espionage compromising US telecoms and lawful intercept systems. Beijing's activities also involve bringing biological pathogens into the US and operating undeclared biolabs. Experts warn China has "aggressively ramped up" offensive irregular warfare, leveraging clandestine methods and targeting politicians, businesspeople, and academics. Concerns persist regarding US counter-espionage capabilities, citing a politically-driven FBI purge and significant budget cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), potentially hindering America's ability to defend against these escalating threats.
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