Why America needs to get smarter if it wants to keep its edge over China
Despite the FBI chief’s recent warning about Chinese espionage the US government’s reaction could prove counterproductive, writes Ankit Panda
Speaking earlier this month at the Aspen Security Forum, Christopher Wray, the director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, was frank on his thoughts about China as an intelligence threat to the United States.
“[China] represents the broadest, most challenging, most significant threat we face as a country,” Wray said, clarifying that he was speaking from a counter-intelligence perspective.
The director justified that assessment by noting that Chinese espionage efforts in the United States manifested themselves in a “whole of state effort”.
“It is economic espionage as well as traditional espionage,” Wray went on to say. “It is non-traditional collectors as well as traditional intelligence operatives; it’s human sources as well as cyber means.”
These remarks came as most of US society remains – with good reason – obsessed about the prospect of Russia interfering in the upcoming midterm elections. But while Russian active measures continue to make the headlines, China’s efforts go on in the background.