It is a trap as old as time, spanning the world — and deployed right here in California, too.
asserted
It → span → California
The Soviet Union has a long history of using this tactic.
asserted
Union → have → tactic
They practiced it during the Cold War — ensnaring a low-level FBI counterintelligence agent in LA named Richard “RW” Miller.
asserted
They → practice → LA
But China, unsurprisingly, has begun mass producing this technique via a virtual assembly line.
asserted
China → begin → line
By the end, Leung had slept with two FBI China counterintelligence supervisors, obtaining classified information and influencing US intelligence efforts.
asserted
Leung → sleep → efforts
I was an FBI special agent for over 30 years, working counterintelligence investigations in Southern California.
asserted
I → work → California
Red China’s most concentrated efforts against us began once it was granted most-favored-nation trade status.
asserted
it → begin → status
I watched the People’s Republic of China’s counterintelligence efforts against America, and specifically California, grow to surpass those of the Soviet Union.
asserted
efforts → watch → Union
Presently, China’s spying activities dwarf those of all other foreign nations combined.
asserted
activities → dwarf → nations
Not only does China employ vast numbers of agents against us, but does so while employing a wide variation of approaches.
asserted
China → employ → approaches
With the world’s second-largest economy, it brings numbers, power, and financial resources to bear that the Soviet Union could never have imagined.
uncertain
Union → bring → that
As an open society, we have some major vulnerabilities.
asserted
we → have → vulnerabilities
China can and does influence our society and its policies by covertly funding political campaigns and social movements.
asserted
China → influence → campaigns
More directly, they place their people in our politicians’ offices.
asserted
they → place → offices
And the Chinese Communist Party is certainly not squeamish about using extortion and blackmail when needed.
asserted
Party → use → extortion
In fact, it’s one of its go-to techniques.
asserted
it → ’ → techniques
Time and again, I saw China threaten the welfare of loved ones still in China or others under its thumb, in order to force people to do its bidding.
asserted
China → see → bidding
This ruthless arm extends worldwide, and includes “police stations” placed in western cities to conduct surveillance and intimidate opponents.
asserted
arm → extend → opponents
Communist China is most tempted by our technological prowess and secrets, ranging from military advantages to medical advances.
asserted
China → tempt → advances
Every year, China dispatches tens of thousands of students to our universities to gain access to our cutting-edge technology research labs.
asserted
China → dispatch → labs
These students of privilege, being children of Communist officials and businessmen, are obligated to return with American data.
asserted
students → obligate → data
China pays their high tuition fees, guaranteeing the continuing silence of our college administrators.
asserted
China → pay → administrators
When they can’t gain access through college students or coercion, China turns to other means.
asserted
China → gain → means
One time-honored method is sending trained agents to America to gain positions within vital US companies.
asserted
method → honor → companies
By the time he was caught and convicted, Mak had been providing China warfighting data for decades.
asserted
Mak → catch → decades
Chi Mak helped leapfrog China’s navy 20 to 30 years ahead, enabling it now to rival and threaten ours.
asserted
Mak → leapfrog → ours
He also recruited “Greg” Dongfan Chung, an aerospace engineer.
asserted
He → recruit → Chung
Chung came from a strong anti-communist family in Taiwan.
asserted
Chung → come → Taiwan
His parents had actually fought the communists.
asserted
parents → fight → communists
Yet he was won over by appeals to his ethnic pride and desire to “make China and the Chinese people look great on the world stage.”
asserted
China → win → stage
By the time he was caught and imprisoned, Chung had provided China reams of sensitive data about sensitive American military and civilian technologies.
asserted
Chung → catch → technologies
In the end, both Mak and Chung died in jail while serving their long prison sentences.
asserted
Mak → die → sentences
China sees America, and California — the closest, richest, most populous, most influential, and most diverse state — as easy targets.
asserted
China → see → targets
That must change.
asserted
That → change → ?
The Aporia
