Education
FBI interviewing Chinese visa holders suspected of hiding military ties: Department of Justice
(Reuters) The FBI interviewed visa holders in more than 25 U.S. cities suspected of hiding their Chinese military membership, the Justice Department said Thursday, as part of what experts called the biggest known crackdown on theft of U.S. expertise in more than 40 years of Sino-U.S. Relationships.
The Justice Department 's announcement is likely to fuel tensions between the world's two largest economies that have grown since the Trump administration ordered China to shut down its consulate in Houston , Texas, by Friday.
The administration has stealed allegations that China is using cyber operations and hacking to steal U.S. technologies, military, and other know-how in a plan to overtake the U.S. as the world's leading financial and military power. Beijing has denied the allegations.
The FBI has recently investigated visa holders in more than 25 American cities accused of having undeclared Chinese military affiliations, the Justice Department said.
These members of the People's Liberation Army of China applied for work visas while covering their real association with the PLA, the statement quoted John Demers, assistant attorney general. This is yet another aspect of the Chinese Communist Party 's scheme to undermine our free society and academic institutions."
The Chinese Embassy did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
FBI chief Christopher Wray said last month that almost half of the almost 5,000 counter-intelligence probes the agency is undertaking concern China.
Experts have called it the largest documented crackdown on the abuse of American intellectual property since the two nuclear-armed nations started the process that led to diplomatic relations being formed in 1979.
It is by far the biggest US reaction to China's intellectual property abuse since China 's opening, said James Mulvenon, a Chinese military and cyber security specialist for SOS International, a consultant that advises U.S. government departments.
The Justice Department said after applying for permits to perform study at U.S. academic schools, the FBI detained three Chinese citizens for reportedly concealing memberships of the People's Liberation Army.
The FBI is trying to apprehend a fourth suspect investigation visa fraud suspect who was taking asylum at the San Francisco Chinese Consulate after being investigated by the agency in June, the department reported.
U.S. law enforcement can not enter a foreign embassy or consulate unless authorized, and diplomatic immunity remains for other government officials such as ambassadors.
Source: Reuters; Additional reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Gregorio
