Friday, July 31, 2020

New Chinese Spy Hubs Identified Including "Gem of Operation," San Francisco, New York City Consulates

According to Axios, the now-closed Houston consulate was merely the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the magnitude with which Chinese espionage hubs are operating in the U.S. The report suggested that other diplomatic locations in the U.S. are of greater importance to China's government, and that they're being used for more than simple espionage.

The report implied that another consulate in New York is also being used for nefarious purposes.

The Trump administration's action to close the San Francisco consulate "Indicates the Trump administration is likely making an example of the Houston consulate in a bid to achieve its goal of a reduction in Chinese espionage activities without taking an even harsher measure, such as closing the San Francisco or New York consulates," Axios reported.

Axios outlined how China uses its consulates to track and direct Chinese students who are enrolled on American campuses, and also suggested that the country's reported interment of Uighur Muslims in China is being aided by the consulates in the U.S. "Leaked classified Chinese government documents have revealed that Chinese embassies and consulates are complicit in the ongoing cultural and demographic genocide against Uighurs," Axios reported.

With regard to espionage the consulates are reportedly used to keep close tabs on Chinese students who are studying in the U.S. China has previously been accused of using American universities to place Chinese nationals on campuses nationwide with the assistance of dozens of Chinese government-funded Confucius Institutes at schools.

"The Chinese embassy and consulates keep close tabs on Chinese students in the U.S., occasionally sending them political directives and quietly organizing demonstrations," the Axios report reads.

A separate Axios report from April estimated that approximately 369,000 Chinese nationals are currently studying in the U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton wants to limit what those students are able to study.

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