Report: US advancing plan for economic espionage against China

The US is advancing an economic espionage plan against China, according to a report in The Washington Post. The Pentagon is working to establish an espionage infrastructure that includes infiltrating agents into sensitive sectors. Security officials have expressed doubts due to the Pentagon's reputation in the field of human intelligence.

The United States is advancing an espionage plan for economic warfare against China, as reported last night (Thursday) in The Washington Post. According to the report, the US Department of Defense is working to establish an espionage infrastructure that will also be directed against other US rivals. The plan is at the top of the Pentagon's priorities as part of preparations for a strategic confrontation with Beijing, and includes infiltrating agents and informants into sensitive business and industrial sectors to monitor and disrupt China's attempts to gain a technological and economic advantage. However, security officials told the newspaper that the move raises doubts and concerns within the US intelligence community, due to the Pentagon's poor reputation in operating complex human intelligence networks under civilian cover, a field traditionally controlled by the CIA. Last month, The New York Times reported that the US intelligence community expressed deep concern over the possibility that China could gain access to sensitive technologies of the F-35 stealth fighter jet, as part of the emerging arms deal to sell dozens of aircraft to Saudi Arabia. According to the report, analysts assess that Beijing could get its hands on radar and surveillance systems through espionage on Saudi soil or through the security cooperation between Riyadh and Beijing. US intelligence fears the presence of Chinese military personnel at Saudi bases and the use of Huawei and ZTE communication equipment in its security facilities.