China’s alleged agroterrorism threats and broader security risks have sparked renewed concerns about the nation’s growing influence and potential vulnerabilities. Two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu, have been charged with attempting to smuggle a fungus classified as a ‘potential agroterrorism weapon’ into the U.S. This incident is part of a larger discussion on China’s multifaceted security threats. The article outlines how China’s actions, including agricultural bioweapons, technology theft, and strategic land acquisitions near military installations, have raised significant concerns among American officials and citizens.
Following the end of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, the U.S. has generally assumed that China was not a significant threat, believing it was moving towards democracy, open markets, and liberalism. However, this perspective has been challenged, with claims that China aims to replace the U.S. as the world’s major economy and military power. The U.S. has been concerned about China’s unfair trade practices, currency manipulation, and technology theft. These actions have contributed to huge trade deficits for the U.S. and have also undermined American diplomatic power through economic means.
China’s strategy of building infrastructure on apparently generous terms but with strings attached has extended its influence globally. The article highlights President Trump’s visa policy as effective in thwarting China’s spy networks on college campuses and in Congress, emphasizing the significant advantage China has through its large diaspora in the Western countries. With over 280,000 Chinese students in the U.S. and a much smaller number of American students in China, the U.S. faces challenges in monitoring potential espionage activities. The Chinese National Intelligence Law, which demands that all organizations and citizens support, assist, and cooperate with national intelligence efforts, further enables China to leverage its diaspora for espionage.
Recent incidents, such as a Chinese illegal alien wandering onto a Marine Corps base at Twentynine Palms, California, underscore the risks posed by China’s presence in the U.S. The article notes that such incidents, while seemingly ‘innocent,’ can provide critical intelligence about U.S. government sites. The Wall Street Journal has documented over 100 such incidents in recent years, indicating a systemic risk that requires more attention. Additionally, the U.S.’s reliance on Chinese minerals and drugs has been highlighted as a potential risk to American security, with fears that China could exploit this reliance for strategic purposes.
As tensions escalate, the potential for a hot war with China in the next decade is not dismissed. The article warns that China is preparing for such a conflict while the U.S.’s military is lagging in recruitment, equipment, and technology. The article also raises the possibility of China using bioweapons, such as the fungus involved in the Jian and Liu case, to target critical infrastructure and agricultural sectors. This could have devastating effects on the U.S. food supply and economic stability.
Current security measures, including vetting processes, have been criticized as inadequate. The article notes that the Biden administration has scaled back efforts to protect American technology from China and has simplified the vetting process for Chinese illegal immigrants. These actions have raised concerns about the effectiveness of existing measures, particularly in light of the potential risks posed by China’s expanding influence. The article concludes with a call to action for a more robust and vigilant approach to addressing China’s growing threats.