China is engaged in large-scale theft of American research and technology from universities, using spies, students, and researchers as collectors, experts told Congress on Wednesday.
Compounding the technology theft, the administration of President Barack Obama weakened U.S. counterintelligence efforts against foreign spies by curbing national-level counterspy efforts, a former counterintelligence official disclosed during a House hearing.
Michelle Van Cleave, former national counterintelligence executive, said shortly after the creation of the office of the director of national intelligence in 2004, a national counterspy program against foreign spies was restricted during the administration of President George W. Bush.
"Unfortunately, the backsliding continued under President Obama," Van Cleave told two subcommittees of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
Van Cleave said a directive issued by then-DNI James Clapper in 2013 and still in force reduced the national counterintelligence program authority by directing all counterspy programs to be run by individual departments or agencies.
"Gone was any dedicated strategic [counterintelligence] program, while elite pockets of proactive capabilities died of neglect," she said.
"Read between the lines of existing CI guidance and you will not find a whiff of a national-level effort left, other than caretaker duties such as taking inventory and writing reports."
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[And they are still issuing student visas to the Chinese? --Editor]
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
ReplyDeleteThis is a BIG problem, and it has been out of control since the Clintons sold the missile technology to the Chinese.
They (and others) have had free and easy access for many years-- that's why they're in a position to kick our a__ using our own technology (like an F-35 copy or silent submarines).
I think they know their days with free access are numbered. There are at least 1300 Chinese 'students' at NCSU where our artificial intelligence research is going on.. I'm sure they have free access to it. Every school in the country that has a decent engineering program has a Confucious Institute on campus (or nearby) and a hoard of Chinese students.
I live near one of them and there are always Chinese students in our favorite restaurant (there are 1500+ Chinese students here). There were 3 in particular a few days back sitting near us, and it was pretty easy to see by their appearance and demeanor that they were likely Chinese Army (not 'sissified like many of the others). They were engaged in normal but fairly animated conversation when one of them looked over at an older Chinese man and woman coming into the restaurant and they suddenly got very quiet, glancing over at them and talking very quietly among themselves.
The lady looked like the head of the Confucious Institute on campus, and you can be sure she is a high-level communist party official. The man looked like he might be a military officer, but they both drew fear and respect from the 'students'.
It is certain that the Chinese government is VERY active in our universities, and with the number of students here (many of them military/spies) they have a significant presence that could present quite a problem in the event of hostilities with China.
It is CERTAINLY time to curtail the student visa program with China, especially in light of how they have used it against us.
We need to send them a clear message.