Summary: Gordon Chang told Newsmax that China has run a decades-long, "relentless" intelligence-collection campaign targeting the United States. He highlighted reports of oceangoing freighters and alleged undocumented communication modules in ZPMC-built port cranes that could enable surveillance or remote control. Chang said the activity likely predates the current administration and stressed that the pressing issue is what the U.S. will do to address these known vulnerabilities.
Gordon Chang: China’s 'Relentless' Intelligence Campaign Has Targeted the U.S. for Decades
Gordon Chang (Newsmax)
Author and longtime China critic Gordon Chang told Newsmax that Beijing has run a decades-long, "relentless" intelligence-collection effort aimed at the United States. Speaking on the program American Agenda, Chang said recent reports that oceangoing freighters have been used to surveil U.S. waters and territory were unsurprising and, in his view, should have been anticipated.
"I'm not surprised about this at all, because we know that China over the course of decades has conducted this relentless information collection campaign against the United States,"
Chang cautioned that the state-owned shipping firm Cosco is only one of several potential platforms China could use to gather intelligence. He also flagged port infrastructure as a concern, citing Shanghai-based ZPMC, which he said built and operates many of the large cranes at U.S. ports.
According to Chang, ZPMC-installed communication modules reportedly were not part of original equipment specifications. He said those additions could allow operators to monitor port activity and, in some scenarios, remotely control cranes.
"Those modules allowed China to surveil us, but also to remotely control those cranes, which means they can shut down our ports and cause havoc there. So no, we shouldn't be surprised,"
Chang suggested maritime surveillance likely occurred during the Biden administration and before, possibly extending back to the start of this century. He framed the problem as a policy and societal choice rather than a surprise: the central question is not whether China collects intelligence, but what steps the United States will take to address and mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Bottom line: Chang argues the intelligence-gathering activities are long-standing and systemic, and he urged U.S. policymakers and the public to acknowledge the threat and take concrete action.
Source: Newsmax (reporting by Gordon Chang on American Agenda)
Help us improve.
