Earlier this month, the FBI and CISA released a joint statement detailing a significant cyber espionage campaign by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The investigation showed that PRC-related operations compromised the networks of many telecommunications companies, allowed the theft of customer phone data, breached private communications—especially of individuals involved in government or political activities—and copied sensitive information that was illegal according to US law enforcement. request.
The House Committee on Homeland Security released a detailed assessment on October 17, highlighting significant national security threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including espionage and transnational acts of repression.
Titled “China Threat Snapshot,” the report documents recent legislative efforts to combat the threat and provides alarming statistics on CCP-related activities in the United States.
According to the report, there were more than 55 cases of CCP espionage documented in 20 countries between February 2021 and August 2024.
The cases involved theft of trade secrets, obstruction of justice, transnational repression schemes, and the transmission of sensitive military information.
The FBI estimates that 80% of economic espionage prosecutions are related to activities that benefit China, and about 60% of trade secret theft cases have ties to the CCP.
FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that the agency opens a new case targeting CCP intelligence operatives every 12 hours.
Committee Chairman Mark Green asserted that the threat lies not with the Chinese people, but with the CCP’s authoritarian regime, which spies on defectors, intimidates Americans, censors dissent, and undermines democratic governance.
The report underscores the urgent need for strong measures to protect US sovereignty and counter the CCP’s growing aggression.
During the week of September 9, 2024, House Republicans focused on several key issues, particularly targeting Chinese espionage, protection of US intellectual property, and national security.
The Chinese Communist Party has long been involved in the theft of US intellectual property, costing American taxpayers as much as $500 billion annually.
Because the majority of cases of economic espionage involve China, and House Republicans took steps to combat this by introducing the American Economic Innovation and Security from the CCP Act.
This law reinstates and renames the “China Initiative” as the CCP Initiative, with the goal of combating espionage and protecting US trade secrets and academic institutions.
House Republicans are also focused on protecting US institutions from Chinese influence. The Chinese government is using the Confucius Institute to infiltrate American universities and spread propaganda.
Although many of these institutions have closed, some schools still maintain ties with Chinese entities.
The DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities Concerns Act aims to limit funding to institutions that maintain ties to Chinese entities, thereby maintaining academic integrity.
Additionally, Republicans are addressing concerns about China’s dominance of the electric vehicle (EV) market. Loose rules now allow Chinese entities to benefit from US tax credits for EVs.
To counter this, the Chinese Electric Vehicle Domination in America Act seeks to close loopholes that allow Chinese manufacturers to exploit US subsidies, ensuring that American tax dollars do not support foreign adversaries.
Another pressing issue is foreign ownership of US farmland, particularly by Chinese companies. Over the past decade, Chinese ownership of American farmland has grown, raising concerns about food and national security.
The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act proposes to add agricultural transactions to the review process of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), to ensure that foreign adversaries cannot acquire land near military installations or threaten the US food supply.
The initiative reflects the Republican commitment to protect US intellectual property, and national sovereignty, while ensuring the responsible use of taxpayer funds and strengthening national security.
They align with President Trump’s hawkish cabinet picks, signaling a tough stance on China. Former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the architect of the US-China trade war, is poised to lead trade policy with a continued focus on countering China’s economic practices.
Sen. Marco Rubio, the nominee for Secretary of State, has been a vocal critic of the CCP, co-author of the law to revoke China’s PNTR status.
National Security Adviser appointee Michael Pillsbury, another powerful China hawk, has championed strategic decoupling and increased pressure on Beijing.
Together, the appointment underscores Trump’s intent to confront China aggressively on trade, security, and human rights.
