FBI chief tells US Congress that China poses bigger security threat than Russia
In a separate report, a congressional commission urged the Trump administration to challenge Beijing on human rights
China came under renewed criticism by US government officials and lawmakers on Wednesday on a range of issues, including charges of human rights violations against Chinese dissidents and minority groups and being a threat to US security.
“China in many ways represents the broadest, most complicated, most long-term counter-intelligence threat we face,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing when asked about the threat China poses relative to Russia. “Russia is in many ways fighting to stay relevant after the fall of the Soviet Union. They’re fighting today’s fight. China is fighting tomorrow’s fight.”
US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who testified alongside Wray, told the committee: “China absolutely is on an unprecedented – or exerting unprecedented effort to influence American opinion,” although she added that “we have not seen to date any Chinese attempts to compromise election infrastructure.”
The Senate committee was seeking clarification of comments US Vice-President Mike Pence made last week that Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election “pales in comparison” to China’s influence operations.
Meanwhile, an influential US congressional body told the administration of President Donald Trump that challenging China on its human rights record must play a prominent part in any efforts to redress the US-China relationship.