Chinese Espionage in US Educational Institutions

[XterraRob]

Other informative threads on China:

• China - General News Thread
• The China Chronicles: The People's Liberation Army
• The Chinese One Belt One Road Initiative - Falling Dominos
• Hong Kong - Echoes of Tiananmen Square?
• History: 1996 United States Campaign Finance Controversy involving China & DNC
• Clinton approves Ballistic Missile technology transfer to China (1999)
• Thirty-Six Stratagems of Ancient China - A Guide into Modern Chinese Strategy
• United States & China - The Decoupling
  

Under various guises of good faith, the Chinese have extensively inserted themselves into our educational and technological institutions in order to fuel their progress towards superseding the United States as the leading superpower.

They've done this through forced IP cooperation, cyber espionage, and something that has recently come to light: they've been utilizing research programs at some of our country's most prestigious Universities and funnelling that research back to the Mainland. Do not be surprised if you see more inquiries by the US Government into Chinese practices in the United States and abroad. I know I'm beating the China drum a lot around here but I believe we're seeing the beginning stages of the new Cold War and there's no sign it'll be cooling down soon. Trump has forced China's hand and now their practices and motivations are in plainsight for all to see.

If you're interested, the following articles touch up on the Chinese threat of espionage at our higher learning institutions.

DeVos urged to probe Chinese spying at U.S. universities
06/20/2018

Dozens of lawmakers are urging Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to launch an investigation into possible attempts by Chinese organizations to steal research and technology from U.S. universities.

In a letter to DeVos this week, 26 members of Congress call on her to require American universities working with Huawei Technologies to turn over information on their joint projects. Huawei is a Chinese organization that provides funding for research in communications, computer science, engineering and more.

The letter from both House and Senate members including Sen. Marco Rubio, (R-Fla.), says Huawei's partnerships with more than 50 U.S. universities "threatens national security."

It comes as multiple congressional panels in recent months have explored attempts by China and other nations to spy on and steal federally funded research on college campuses, a problem facing many research universities, which have to strike a balance between being open and collaborative institutions while also protecting the work they do.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, has explored restrictions on Chinese visas, among other steps, in response to allegations of intellectual property theft.

A State Department official said at a hearing earlier this month that certain restrictions would take effect for some Chinese nationals seeking student visas. “We have issued some additional screening instructions to U.S. embassies and consulates to deal with certain individuals from China studying in certain sensitive fields,” Edward J. Ramotowski, deputy assistant secretary of State for visa services, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee.

The lawmakers want DeVos to probe whether any Huawei researchers "including Chinese nationals" are involved in the work at American universities.
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They also ask her to meet with the FBI and the director of national intelligence about Huawei and call on her to "immediately convene" a "senior-level" working group at the department to better understand Chinese attempts to steal American research and develop recommendations for schools to prevent it.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...ologies-655592

[XterraRob]

From Wikipedia: Criticism of Confucius Institutes

What are Confucius Institutes?

Confucius Institutes’ stated missions are to promote knowledge of Chinese language and culture abroad, as well as to promote commercial and trade cooperation. In the context of the Chinese Communist Party's foreign policy objectives, the institutes serve as tools of cultural diplomacy intended to bolster China’s soft power abroad.

At a hearing of the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Anne-Marie Brady, a University of Canterbury political science professor, testified that China considers propaganda work the "life blood of the Party-State in the current era", and promotes foreign propaganda towards the Overseas Chinese community through Confucius Institutes and activities such as "root-seeking" cultural tours. Three years later, Professor Brady analogized, "If we had a U.S. government agency that was stating that it was a tool for U.S. government propaganda, my colleagues would be up in arms about having a center like that on campus."


Threats of Espionage?

Critics of Confucius Institutes have cited concerns it could serve as a vehicle for industrial and military espionage, as well as for surveillance of Chinese students studying abroad. The intelligence services of several countries have investigated Confucius Institutes, including the Canadian organization CSIS. David Matas said that "informally [the institutes] become a vehicle the Chinese government uses to basically intimidate the academic institutions to run according to their guise and also as a vehicle for infiltration and spying into the campuses to find out what's going on hostile to their interest."

Pierrebourg and Juneau-Katsuya also raised concerns over ties between Confucius Institute administrators and large state-run Chinese companies. For instance, they point to the Confucius Institute at the University of Texas at Dallas, where one of the top officials is also vice-president of Huawei, a Chinese telecom company the U.S. government regards as a national security threat, and which has been accused of industrial espionage, though an extensive security review found no clear evidence of spying.

((Side Note: Calling China’s Huawei a ‘security threat’, US lawmakers urge Google to reconsider its ties to the telecom))

Columbia University received $1 million in Hanban funds over five years, to begin a CI. Professor Robert Barnett, the director of the Modern Tibetan Studies Program, described a "strange silence about Tibet and other sensitive issues when it comes to Columbia, academics, and talks of China." Barnett said, "The issue is not China wants to promote itself and pay for Chinese to be taught. The issue is it wants to have a presence in the campus and much more than that. It wants to have a presence in the faculty and in teaching departments."

Lening Liu, director of the Confucius Institute at Columbia, said that it was "committed to academic integrity and that it would reject any attempt by Hanban to censor its research." Other academics have questioned how universities should respond when foreign governments limit academic freedom abroad. Since the 2001 publication of Columbia University professor Andrew J. Nathan's Tiananmen Papers, he and several other faculty members have been denied visas to China, and the Chinese government shut down the Modern Tibetan Studies Program's study abroad program in Tibet.

[XterraRob]

Get China's pernicious Confucius Institutes out of US colleges
02/22/18

FBI Director Christopher Wray revealed last week that his agency is taking “investigative steps” regarding Confucius Institutes, which operate at more than 100 American colleges and universities. These Chinese government-funded centers teach a whitewashed version of China and serve as outposts of China’s overseas intelligence network.

Wray was responding to questions from Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who called Confucius Institutes “complicit” in China’s larger efforts “to covertly influence public opinion.” Earlier this month, Rubio sent a letter to Florida schools, urging them to shut down their Confucius Institutes.

I spent a year and a half studying Confucius Institutes. I found they misled students about China’s history and pressured American scholars to keep quiet about China’s unsavory policies. The Chinese director of one Institute told me that if a student asked about Tiananmen Square, she would “show a picture and point out the beautiful architecture.” Another stripped faculty doors of banners referencing Taiwan.

Colleges and universities should close their Confucius Institutes voluntarily — as the University of West Florida announced it would do in response to Rubio’s letter.

In the meantime, the U.S. government should take action. Here are some first steps.

http://thehill.com/opinion/education...of-us-colleges

Another one.

[XterraRob]

Closing a Confucius Institute, at Congressmen's Request
2018/04/09

The chancellor of the Texas A&M system said the university would terminate its agreement to host Confucius Institutes -- centers for Chinese language teaching and cultural programming funded by the Chinese government -- in response to the urging of two congressmen who described the institutes as threats to national security.

An increasing number of politicians have in recent months urged American colleges to sever their ties with the Chinese government-backed institutes, but this appears to be the first time a university has explicitly cited a recommendation from elected officials as its reason for terminating a Confucius Institute agreement. Critics and supporters of the Confucius Institutes alike said they are concerned about external political influence over university decision making.

The recommendation that Texas A&M close its Confucius Institutes came in an open letter from U.S. Representatives Henry Cuellar, a Democrat, and Michael McCaul, a Republican. The two congressmen, who both represent Texas, said they sent the letter to four Texas universities that host the institutes, including A&M.

“We strongly urge these universities to consider terminating their partnerships with Confucius Institutes and other Chinese government supported organizations," Representatives Cuellar and McCaul said in a joint statement accompanying the letter's release. "These organizations are a threat to our nation’s security by serving as a platform for China’s intelligence collection and political agenda. We have a responsibility to uphold our American values of free expression, and to do whatever is necessary to counter any behavior that poses a threat to our democracy.”

Texas A&M chancellor John Sharp issued a four-sentence statement saying that he would heed the congressmen’s recommendation.

“We have great respect for Congressmen McCaul and Cuellar. I don’t question their judgment, nor their patriotism. In addition, they have access to classified information we do not have. We are terminating the contract as they suggested,” Sharp said.


https://www.insidehighered.com/news/...smens-concerns

Another one.

[HentaiWarrior]

This whole business with China and intellectual property theft is really quite a big deal. President Trump is 100% right about it. I've personally experienced it. Their country harbors thieves by the millions, they need to be made to do something about it. The fact that their leaders turn a blind eye and act like Trump is causing problems for no reason says it all - he is covering for them.

[XterraRob]

This whole business with China and intellectual property theft is really quite a big deal. President Trump is 100% right about it. I've personally experienced it. Their country harbors thieves by the millions, they need to be made to do something about it. The fact that their leaders turn a blind eye and act like Trump is causing problems for no reason says it all - he is covering for them.

It is, China wants to replace the United States. People think these tariffs are purely an economic issue, but it's a national security issue because we need to contain China. People need to keep that big picture idea in mind when examining these moves by Trump & Co. They can complain all they want but MNCs are loyal to no country, only their bottom line. You could argue they aren't even loyal to themselves because giving up so much just to do business in China will result in Chinese-based competitors who will export their craft abroad (probably at a cheaper cost) than western institutions. Eitherway, the long term health of the United States isn't their priority. Thankfully Trump is strong enough to overcome corporate interests in favor of our future.

[miscinbro]

This whole business with China and intellectual property theft is really quite a big deal. President Trump is 100% right about it. I've personally experienced it. Their country harbors thieves by the millions, they need to be made to do something about it. The fact that their leaders turn a blind eye and act like Trump is causing problems for no reason says it all - he is covering for them.

What have you personally experienced?

[LukeLissen]

The extremely rapid economic, militaristic, and antagonistic growth of Communist China is by far the real threat, not Russia.


They are laughing at what they have done and are doing to us, and how little we have resisted and in many cases assisted them.

[Peter Ruby]

Once the Russian collusion narrative loses steam, we're going to hear how Trump collided with the Chinese.

[Arsenal01]

I assume the US is doing the exact same honestly....No need to worry tho...The US haven't had an enemy that could actually harm them since ww2

[dweeegs]

At security trainings I’ve always been told that China does a lot of non conventional spying, like through using students. When they pay for students to come over and learn, it’s always accompanied by a debriefing after. Like “can you tell me about so and so research” type stuff that they can use to augment normal spying

But then again the colleges can mark up tuition tenfold and won’t do a thing to em. We had a literal horde of Students get caught cheating. Left the original dudes name on an assignment lol. Teacher gave them a stern talking to. Meanwhile I had a teacher threaten me with discipline for cheating because I plagiarized my own work and almost took me to the schools court lmfao.

[Mr Beer]

China is a threat for the top dog position for sure and their industrial espionage and pretty blatant empire building should be a concern to anyone who thinks the rule of law should not be treated with complete contempt. I've been saying for a minimum of a decade, when China really starts throwing its weight around, everyone who is currently outraged about the US's internationalism is in for a rude fkn surprise.

Just fkn LOL if you think Trump is capable of doing anything about it though. It's going to take a bigger man than him and a real change in national thinking. Make that international thinking. Right now, being suspicious of China is racist, though to give him his props, John Oliver rang the alarm bells on his show the other day.

[XterraRob]

Be weary of the Chinese.

[Mr Beer]

Be weary of the Chinese.

Bored of them already?

[Contribution05]

Even liberal John Oliver was anti china this week.

[Mr Beer]

Even liberal John Oliver was anti china this week.

The format of his show seems to be this:

1. Lay into Trump for his Trumping this week.

2. Interlude montage of silliness from news shows.

3. Main story, which seems reasonably solid and often isn't particularly rooted in political ideology (e.g. flood insurance, old age care, as you say China), though he usually manages to wedge in some sniping at the right somewhere.

[HentaiWarrior]

What have you personally experienced?

That they will steal your intellectual property without even the slightest pause to consider that maybe they shouldn't.

[WABeast]

This does not surprise me. Universities and colleges in my area are full of Asian International students. Feels like you are in Asia. Have always wondered how many of them are spies.

[XterraRob]

Bump for awareness. They have to go back.

[PimpinisEasy]

Unfortunately for America they are not producing high calibre students who are capable of taking on these roles.

I guess it's your own fault for under paying engineers and over paying layers and doctors for years.

Engineering is a sacrifice and it isn't rewarded enough.

[TacticalTaco]

Every Chinese nationalist I've met who has come over here to get educated has been sketchy, xenophobic, and overall obvious.

[BetaAsPhuck]

The extremely rapid economic, militaristic, and antagonistic growth of Communist China is by far the real threat, not Russia.


They are laughing at what they have done and are doing to us, and how little we have resisted and in many cases assisted them.

China is not Marxist/Communist anymore.

It's probably best described as Authoritarian State Capitalism.

Look at Mao's economic policies and compare them to modern China... Night and day.

[BetaAsPhuck]

Because big picture, the way of life you enjoy will change under Chinese hegemony. It may not be a big deal right now but anyone who has the capacity to take a step back will see the next Cold War is brewing. China isn't going to yield, their government is HELL BENT on being the dominant power - WAKE UP.l! This isn't a ****ing joke. I don't post this **** to exercise my ego. **** the partisan bull****, if you pay attention, both sides are alarmed to the China's Rise.

Based on my knowledge of US interventionism, throughout the 20th century and in the 21st century in; Latin America, The Middle East, Africa, South East Asia, and East Asia... I look forward to the US losing it's status as the world's superpower.

If anyone doesn't know the history of US interventionism in the 20th and 21st century, please watch this...




The US is a very dangerous nation, from the perspective of anyone outside of North America and Europe (as history in the 20th and 21st century has shown).

We all know the US routinely engages in military interventionism in various countries, we don't know how China will behave if they become the no.1 superpower.

[Metz00]

Spoiler!

Based on my knowledge of US interventionism, throughout the 20th century and in the 21st century in; Latin America, The Middle East, Africa, South East Asia, and East Asia... I look forward to the US losing it's status as the world's superpower.

If anyone doesn't know the history of US interventionism in the 20th and 21st century, please watch this...




The US is a very dangerous nation, from the perspective of anyone outside of North America and Europe (as history in the 20th and 21st century has shown).

We all know the US routinely engages in military interventionism in various countries, we don't know how China will behave if they become the no.1 superpower.

Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Russia all played the imperialism game in every corner of the world. The US was no different. China is beginning to do the same thing to. The One Belt Initiative is the perfect pretext for predatory lending and proliferation of soft power.

It's not about right or wrong, honesty or hypocrisy. You have to pick a side that is the most convenient for you, your family, and your descendants.

[BetaAsPhuck]

Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Russia all played the imperialism game in every corner of the world. The US was no different.

I never implied that they were different.

However, the US is the Superpower, and OP is attempting to portray China as the boogeyman, when contemporary history clearly shows that the US Superpower is a threat to any nation outside of Europe and North America.

The context of my post is important to remember... OP demonizing China as 'dangerous'. The US having the largest Military in the world, and routinely invading sovereign nations.

China is beginning to do the same thing to. The One Belt Initiative is the perfect pretext for predatory lending and proliferation of soft power.

Soft Power > invading countries, killing adults and children, killing their leaders, and installing puppet leaders.

It's not about right or wrong, honesty or hypocrisy. You have to pick a side that is the most convenient for you, your family, and your descendants.

To me it's about right and wrong, not simply pragmatism. We have a difference of values.

[Thelonebadwolf]

Unfortunately for America they are not producing high calibre students who are capable of taking on these roles.

I guess it's your own fault for under paying engineers and over paying layers and doctors for years.

Engineering is a sacrifice and it isn't rewarded enough.

Doctors are not "overpaid".

Only Socialists would claim doctors deserve a dock in pay and Burger King employees deserve more.

[WarriorRustler]

To me it's about right and wrong, not simply pragmatism. We have a difference of values.

So you want China to become a super power, to make America and its citizens pay for their crimes of being a superpower.

That's exactly what you are saying, and it is traitorous.

[XterraRob]

I never implied that they were different.

However, the US is the Superpower, and OP is attempting to portray China as the boogeyman, when contemporary history clearly shows that the US Superpower is a threat to any nation outside of Europe and North America.

The context of my post is important to remember... OP demonizing China as 'dangerous'. The US having the largest Military in the world, and routinely invading sovereign nations.



Soft Power > invading countries, killing adults and children, killing their leaders, and installing puppet leaders.



To me it's about right and wrong, not simply pragmatism. We have a difference of values.

Considering I do not want to live under Chinese hegemony, it makes sense why I would make China out to be the boogeyman. Do you want to live under Chinese hegemony? Why does China feel the need to build up such a large military when they are doing just fine with their predatory lending and trade practices? Hmmm, yeah I think I'll go with my gut on this one and say they are going to be the threat I am making them out to be. Just wait until they have the capability to project power anywhere around the globe. China can go f[u]ck themselves.

[BetaAsPhuck]

So you want China to become a super power, to make America and its citizens pay for their crimes of being a superpower.

That's exactly what you are saying, and it is traitorous.

No, that's how you've interpreted what I've said. (How you interpret what someone writes, isn't necessary what they believe, it might just be your interpretation.)

What hope is that China as a Superpower will deter the US from it's routine predatory military actions. The US has routinely done what it's wants without fear, and neither the right nor the left of the US seriously propose non-interventionism.

[BetaAsPhuck]

Considering I do not want to live under Chinese hegemony, it makes sense why I would make China out to be the boogeyman. Do you want to live under Chinese hegemony? Why does China feel the need to build up such a large military when they are doing just fine with their predatory lending and trade practices? Hmmm, yeah I think I'll go with my gut on this one and say they are going to be the threat I am making them out to be. Just wait until they have the capability to project power anywhere around the globe. China can go f[u]ck themselves.

I want the US to stop being global predators, so I hope that China grows big enough to deter the US from routinely destroying nations, through military intervention.