U.S. intelligence officials say China is using students studying in the U.S. to steal secrets and spy on other Chinese people, according to a CNN feature published Friday.
Current and former intelligence officials, lawmakers and several experts told CNN that Beijing inserts spies into the 350,000 students China sends to the U.S. every year to undermine American industries and recruit more potential spies.
“We assess that China’s intelligence services will exploit the openness of American society, especially academia and the scientific community, using a variety of means,” according to the intelligence community’s World Wide Threat Assessment released Tuesday.
Multiple former U.S. officials told CNN that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have warned for over a decade that universities could become soft targets for foreign intelligence services to use student and staff to steal new technology and suggest other Chinese civilians living in the U.S. to be recruited as spies.
Senior officials have sought to renew the urgency surrounding the issue in recent months by underlining the threat during congressional testimony and speeches at security forums. – READ MORE