So, Chinese Diplomats Just Got Busted Compromising An American Military Base… Is That Important?
Remember when Trump was openly mocked for putting China at the forefront of his foreign policy concerns? Has the laughing finally stopped now?
Trump knew from the beginning that China was right up there at the top of his priority lists.
Our trade agreements with China were out of whack.
Our military preparedness in response to their global ambitions needed updating.
Our protection of sensitive data and proprietary technology needed protecting.
Trump spent SO much time and energy on his campaign warning about China that they even tried to make fun of him with a song about it (apologies in advance for the ugly photoshopped image on the video thumbnail):
Three years into his presidency, who’s got the last laugh now?
Suddenly, we’re seeing a reconfiguring of our trade relationship… we are taking Chinese military advances (including huge advances in their presence in both space and the digital world) far more seriously… and we are leveraging our trade deals protect our intellectual property. Something that had been long neglected in favor of cheap imports.
The U.S. government quietly expelled two Chinese Embassy officials after they breached a sensitive military base in Virginia.
The Chinese officials were with their wives when they drove onto the base near Norfolk in September. The group fled military personnel pursuing them and were only stopped when fire trucks blocked their path, according to The New York Times.
American officials suspect at least one of the Chinese officials was an intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover.
The expulsions appear to be the first of Chinese diplomats suspected of spying in more than three decades. In 1987, the United States apprehended two Chinese diplomat who had tried to obtain classified National Security Agency documents.
Neither the U.S. nor China announced the incident. It has fueled concerns about Chinese espionage in the U.S. as American officials increasingly warn about China’s threat to national security. American officials said Chinese officials with diplomatic passports have become more daring about showing up unannounced at research or government facilities.
Chinese diplomats getting busted for spying on America is a big deal.
Wouldn’t you agree, Senator Feinstein?