Chinese intelligence activity in other countries

Chinese intelligence agencies are believed to be active outside of the People's Republic of China. [cite web|author=Jones, Tony|url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2005/s1408571.htm |title=More claims of Chinese spying emerge|work=ABC News|date=2005-07-06|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|author=Chaulia, Sreeram|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/JD03Ad02.html |title=The age of the immigrant spy|work=Asia Times|date=2008-04-03|accessdate=2008-04-07]

Method of operation

It is generally believed that Chinese intelligence agencies operate differently from other espionage organizations by employing primarily academics or students who will be in their host country only a short time, rather than spending years cultivating a few high-level sources or double agents. [cite web|author=Johnston, David|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E2DE1731F930A15756C0A96F958260 |title=The Nation; Finding Spies Is the Easy Part|work=New York Times|date=1999-05-23|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|author=Shulsky, Abram N. & Schmitt, Gary J.|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/khadr/readings/humint.html |title=Son of Al Qaeda: Human Intelligence Collection|work=PBS|date=2004-04-22|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|author=Warrick, Joby & Johnson, Carrie|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/04/02/ST2008040204050.html |title=Chinese Spy 'Slept' In U.S. for 2 Decades|work=Washington Post|date=2008-04-03|accessdate=2008-04-07] Much information about the Chinese intelligence services come from defectors, whom the PRC accuse of lying to promote an anti-PRC agenda. [cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1385007.htm |title=Downer can grant defector political asylum: lawyer|work=ABC News|date=2005-06-06|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/06/15/spies050615.html |title=Defectors say China running 1,000 spies in Canada|work=CBC News|date=2005-06-15|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|author=Jeldres, Julio A.|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/GF17Ad06.html |title=Canberra wakes up to China 'spies'|work=Asia Times|date=2005-06-17|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-04-01-voa34.cfm |title=Beijing Denies Involvement in China Spy Case|work=VOA|date=2008-04-01|accessdate=2008-04-07] One known exception to this rule is the case of Katrina Leung, who is accused of starting an affair with an FBI agent to gain sensitive documents from him. A U.S. judge dismissed all charges against her due to prosecutorial misconduct. [cite web|author=Frontline|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/spy/etc/synopsis.html |title=From China With Love|work=PBS|date=2004-01-15|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|author=Geis, Sonya|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/24/AR2006052402386_pf.html |title=FBI Officials Are Faulted In Chinese Spying Case|work=Washington Post|date=2006-05-25|accessdate=2008-04-07]

The United States believe the Chinese military have been developing cyber technologies in recent years in order to perform espionages on other nations. Several cases of computer intrusions suspected of Chinese involvement have been found in various countries including Australia, France, Germany, United Kingdom and the United States. [cite web|author=Macartney, Jane|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3000697.ece |title=China hits back at 'slanderous and prejudiced' alert over cyber spies|work=The Times|date=2007-12-05|accessdate=2008-04-07] [cite web|author=Barnes, Julian E.|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-uschina4mar04,1,3559963.story |title=China's computer hacking worries Pentagon|work=Los Angeles Times|date=2008-03-04|accessdate=2008-03-04] [cite web|author=Brookes, Peter|url=http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/homeland.php?id=1386912 |title=Flashpoint: The Cyber Challenge: Cyber attacks are growing in number and sophistication|work=Family Security Matters|date=2008-03-13|accessdate=2008-04-07]

Ira Winkler, a former National Security Agency staff and a security consultant, said that Chinese intelligence operatives work by approaching ethnic Chinese by reminding them of "Chinese heritage, telling them they must help". [cite web|author=Sisk, Richard|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/02/12/2008-02-12_pentagon_analyst_chinese_immigrant_buste-2.html|title=Pentagon analyst, Chinese immigrant busted for Chinese espionage plots|work=Daily News|date=2008-02-12|accessdate=2008-07-06]

Objectives

It is believed that Chinese espionage is aimed at stealing commercial, technological, and military secrets, as well as gathering information on the Falun Gong. [cite web|author=McElroy, Damien|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/03/wchin03.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/03/ixnewstop.html |title=China aims spy network at trade secrets in Europe|work=Daily Telegraph|date=2005-07-03|accessdate=2008-04-08] [cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/11/15/us.china.tech.ap/ |title=Report: China spies threaten U.S. technology|work=CNN|date=2007-11-15|accessdate=2008-04-08] [cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/F1D09CD9-C268-4C73-ACE3-F32C6FD4AD83.htm |title=US man jailed in China 'spy' case|work=Al Jazeera|date=2008-03-24|accessdate=2008-04-08] [cite web|author=Ward, Olivia|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/article/222118 |title=Ex-envoy warns of Chinese spies|work=Toronto Star|date=2007-06-06|accessdate=2008-04-08]

Two diplomats who defected in Australia have claimed that China operates more than 1,000 spies and informants in Australia alone; their mission, they said, is industrial espionage but also disruption of the Falun Gong movement. China accused them of lying so they could stay in Australia. Canadian businessman Joe Wang believes that threatening letters he received after broadcasting programs about alleged human rights abuses in China were from the Chinese consulate; one of the envelopes contained boric acid. In November 2005 the United States arrested four people in Los Angeles on suspicion of being involved in a Chinese spy ring.

Taiwan has put many Chinese people on trial for espionage.

Taiwanese-American scientist Wen Ho Lee (born in Nantou, Taiwan December 21, 1939) was accused and investigated on the grounds of espionage in 1999 but was acquitted of all charges except for mishandling classified data. Many accused the U.S. government of racism and have argued that the latest allegations of espionage are motivated at least partly by racism; they point to the history of what they call the fabricated "China threat" theory. An alternate interpretation of this is that the Chinese "Subtle Spying" practice avoids and defends against the United States' prosecution-heavy investigative counterintelligence procedures by introducing large elements of plausible deniability and obfuscating the line between deliberate and unintentional espionage activities.

References

External links

* [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/spy/ "From China With Love"] , a PBS Frontline program.
* [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/LAW/02/09/china.spy.indictment/ "U.S. charges pair as China spies"] , CNN.com, February 10, 2006.
* [http://www.washtimes.com/national/20051104-111851-2539r.htm "Four arrests linked to Chinese spy ring"] , The Washington Times, November 5, 2005.
* [http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6140 "FBI Sees Big Threat from Chinese Spies; Businesses Wonder"] , The Wall Street Journal, August 12, 2005.
* [http://english.epochtimes.com/news/5-6-16/29597.html "Chinese Spies Targeted Toronto Woman"] , The Epoch Times, June 16, 2005.
* [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/06/15/spies050615.html "Defectors say China running 1,000 spies in Canada"] , CBC News, June 15, 2005.
* [http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2005/06/05/china_says_defector_lying_to_stay_in_australia/ "China says defector lying to stay in Australia"] , Reuters, June 5, 2005.
* [http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Rest+of+the+World&month=May2005&file=World_News2005051223641.xml "Chinese students running ‘spy network’ in Europe"] , The Peninsula, May 12, 2005.
* [http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=1397&date=20050509 "China "suspected of spying at Swedish universities""] , The Local, May 9, 2005.
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/03/wchin03.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/03/ixnewstop.html "China aims spy network at trade secrets in Europe"] , The Telegraph, May 7, 2005.
* [http://www.canadafreepress.com/2005/cover012605.htm "Operation Sidewinder: In Canada spies are us"] , The Canada Free Press, January 26, 2005.
* [http://www.aim.org/media_monitor/A242_0_2_0_C/ "Catching Chinese Spies"] , Accuracy in Media, October 23, 2003.
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2282622.stm "Taiwanese charged as Chinese spies"] , BBC News, September 26, 2002.
* [http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/east/07/22/china.us/?related "U.S. 'fabricating' China threat"] , CNN.com, July 23, 2002.
* [http://www.asianweek.com/032599/feature_commentary.html "Spy Hysteria"] , Asian Week, March 25, 1999.