US counterintelligence warns of China stepping up impact operations

WASHINGTON: A US counterintelligence company on Wednesday (Jul 6) warned state and local officials that China is accelerating influence operations targeted at manipulating them directly into pressing the federal government to pursue more Beijing-friendly policies.

China “understands that will US state plus local leaders have a degree of independence from Washington and may look for to use them as unblock proxies to advocate pertaining to national US procedures Beijing desires, ” the National Counterintelligence and Security Middle said in a bulletins sent to state plus local officials.

The warning arrives amid sharp stress between Washington plus Beijing over a number of issues. These people span from US arms sales in order to Taiwan and China’s human rights report to Beijing’s military activities in the South China Sea plus alleged espionage operations against the United States.

The Chinese embassy did not respond instantly to a request for opinion.

US President Joe Biden’s management views China like a strategic competitor. But it says it is determined to avoid conflict and seeks Beijing’s adherence to international rules and institutions on peace and safety.

The new counterintelligence bulletin said that Beijing is using a variety of way to manipulate state plus local officials into pressing Washington meant for policies that are friendlier to China.

“PRC (People’s Republic of China) influence operations can be deceitful and coercive, with seemingly benign business opportunities or people-to-people exchanges sometimes masking PRC political agendas, ” it said.

China’s approaches consist of using front organizations like the Chinese Someones Association for Companionship with Foreign Nations, which cultivates “sister” relationships between Beijing and US localities, the bulletin mentioned.

Another team, the National Association for China’s Peaceful Reunification, promotes Sino-US friendship, but advocates Beijing’s views on Taiwan in words to members associated with Congress and others, this continued.

The particular Chinese communist federal government says it looks for “peaceful reunification” with democratic Taiwan. But it reserves “other options” for the island it regards as a Chinese province.

Reading more on: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/us-counterintelligence-china-influence-operations-2793411