Chinese nationals posing as tourists and spying on US military bases, sensitive sites: Report
US military base
A report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) newspaper has claimed that Chinese nationals, sometimes posing as tourists, have been spying on US military bases and other sensitive sites in recent years.
The report published on Sunday (Sept 3) further states, quoting senior US officials, that it has occurred more than 100 times in recent years.
A joint meeting was convened by the Defence Department, FBI and other agencies last year to try to limit these incidents that involved “gatecrashers” because of their attempts to get into US military bases without proper authorisation, the WSJ report said.
Examples of “gatercrashing” included Chinese crossing into a US missile range in New Mexico, and scuba divers swimming in murky waters near a US government rocket launch site in Florida, the report said.
Spying on sensitive USsites
The report said that some other incidents involved people following Google Maps directions to a McDonald's or Burger King located on military bases.Other more serious instances include a group of Chinese nationals trying to push past guards at an army base in Alaska, claiming they had reservations at a hotel on the base.
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US officials believe that these trespassing incidents are linked to a more detailed plan to spy on sensitive US sites.
Most of these incidents happened in rural areas, where the tourism flow is a little low— areas not recognised as tourist hot spots and located far away from major airports—leading the officials to believe that they are not tourists.
Officials yet to respond
The report further said that the involved Chinese nationals were pressed into service and required to report back to the Chinese government.
The USDepartment of Defense and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the WSJ report.
The report comes at a time when Washington and Beijing are taking tentative steps to soothe tensions that spiked after a suspected Chinese high-altitude spy balloon crossed the United States before the USmilitary shot it down off the East CoastinFebruary.
Also read |Joe Biden ‘disappointed’ as China’s Xi skips G20 summit, here’s when they could meet next
Last month, China’s state security ministryannounced the arrestof a Chinese national for allegedly spying on behalf of the CIA.
(With inputs from agencies)
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