House report: 60 Chinese espionage cases, 224 espionage incidents in three years

(The Center Square) – More than 60 Chinese Communist Party-related cases of espionage and acts of transnational repression have been reported in 20 states according to a new report published by the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security.

That’s in addition to 224 reported incidents of Chinese espionage directed at the U.S. between 2000 and 2023, according to the report. Examples include transmission of sensitive military information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), theft of U.S. trade secrets to benefit the PRC, transnational repression schemes to target PRC dissidents and obstruction of justice.

The Department of Justice has prosecuted Chinese espionage cases in Alabama, Arkansas, California, District or Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington, according to the report.

Outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray’s parting warning to Americans was that China remains one of the greatest threats to U.S. national security, a warning he consistently issued.

“The greatest long-term threat facing our country, in my view, is represented by the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese government, which I consider to be the defining threat of our generation,” he said, The Center Square reported.

The DOJ says it opens new cases to counter PRC intelligence operations roughly every 12 hours. Of the espionage cases it’s prosecuted since 2018, it says 80% allege the PRC would benefit; 60% of trade secret theft cases are linked to China.

“The PRC has gained significant ground in its information warfare on American soil over the past four years,” Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Green, R-TN, said. “If you think the U.S. military and our government are the only targets of the Chinese Communist Party, think again. The shadow of Beijing’s malign influence falls upon American businesses, university campuses, and the critical infrastructure we rely on – not to mention those on U.S. soil who dare to speak out against the CCP. Thankfully, the Trump administration has put Beijing on notice; the days of freely undermining our sovereignty are over.”

The DOJ lists examples of indictments of Chinese nationals conspiring to and committing economic espionage and theft of trade secrets going back to 2018.

The House report cites more recent DOJ examples, including one from this month of a Chinese national who was indicted for allegedly stealing AI secrets from Google.

Last December, a Chinese national and resident of New York City pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an illegal agent for the PRC by opening a PRC police station in lower Manhattan “to further the nefarious and repressive aims of the PRC in direct violation of American sovereignty,” according to the DOJ. The DOJ took action after a nonprofit organization exposed PRC police stations illegally operating in major cities nationwide and worldwide, The Center Square reported.

Another DOJ case from last December involves a Chinese national and lawful permanent resident of California who was arrested for flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base and taking photographs. He was arrested for violating national defense airspace prior to boarding a flight to China.

Another example involves a Chinese national illegally living in the U.S. who was arrested for allegedly shipping weapons and ammunition to North Korea, The Center Square reported.

Others include a PRC spy arrested in California who worked for a state lawmaker and Chinese operatives arrested in Guam near a U.S. military installation on the same day as a live ballistic missile interception test, The Center Square reported.

The House report also cites additional cases from last December, including a PRC national sentenced to 24 months in prison for conspiring to send trade secrets that belonged to a U.S.-based electric vehicle company; and a Chinese national and U.S. legal permanent resident who was charged with conspiring to export defense-related technical data to the PRC and unlawfully supplying the Pentagon with Chinese-made rare earth magnets for aviation systems and military items, the report notes.