Ridge Runner Chronicles – August 16, 2023

By Editor | August 15, 2023 |

ow let’s talk about Chinese espionage

By Bill Hoagland
Several weeks ago, I wrote a column about Russian espionage and the fact that it did not end with the removal of the Berlin Wall. Russian espionage, believe it or not, has actually increased in the past few years, as chronicled by Calder Walton in his book, “Spies”. But as pointed out by Walton, Chinese espionage directed against the US is far more intense and much broader in its scope than the Russian variety.
Russian espionage is aimed at military issues and to a lesser extent, at causing a general disruption of our democracy. Chinese espionage is aimed at all aspects of our life, not just military issues or finding ways to create political unrest. For example, China wants to steal our technology (such as technology relating to creating new medicines and drugs), and to use counterfeit copies of that technology to flood the market and run us out of business in that particular economic sector.
As pointed out by Walton, the Chinese play by different rules when it comes to espionage and some of it is not all that sophisticated because it doesn’t have to be. For example, the spy balloon that criss-crossed over the US earlier this year was a brazen and clumsy attempt to get military secrets, but guess what—as stupid as the concept sounds, it worked. We watched that silly balloon from the time it entered Montana and elected not shoot it down until it had crossed the continent and finished its mission. Maybe “clumsy” spy missions like this are not so stupid if the “enemy” is not paying attention.
Another area in which the Chinese “don’t play by the rules” has to do with forcing Chinese nationals living in the US to spy for the Chinese by threatening their families back in China if they don’t “produce”. Recently, Chen Yixin, regarded as the heir apparent to Xi Jinping, urged the Chinese Communist Party to “create a system that makes it normal for the masses to participate in espionage”. He is referring to the 150 million Chinese nationals who travel abroad every year, including the three million who come to the US. That’s why we are now opening a new espionage investigative file involving China every 10 hours. Just last week, for example, two US Navy sailors, Wenheng Zgao and Jichao Wei, were indicted for spying on behalf of China. According to the indictments, both men for over a year supplied China with significant amounts of classified information about our military. One of these men, Wei, was born in China, became a naturalized citizen of the US and apparently still has family in China. In fact, there is evidence that his mother, who currently lives in the US, encouraged him to spy so that he could be rewarded when he eventually returns to China. Here is my question: Why in the world did Wei, with obvious, ongoing connections to China, have access to classified information in the first place? Normally, to get a security clearance, the US government must first run an extensive security background check on the applicant; someone obviously dropped the ball on this one. And by the way, how can we possibly conduct a reliable background check for people who previously lived in China? Hire someone living in China to do the checking for us?
I bet members of the Chinese Communist Party hierarchy are “high-fiving” each other over the fact that we let a silly spy balloon criss-cross our country, obviously repositioning itself from time to time to fly over military installations, without blasting it out of the sky. Or laughing about how we continue to allow folks like Jichao Wei, originally from Communist China (apparently with family still living there), to have access to classified information in the first place.
Maybe, just maybe, we need to be a tad more vigilant.
Note: There is no information available yet on whether the other alleged spy, Wenheng Zhao, has relatives in China.
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■ Bill Hoagland has practiced law in Alton for more than 50 years, but he has spent more than 70 years hunting, fishing and generally being in the great outdoors. His wife, Annie, shares his love of the outdoor life. Much of their spare time is spent on their farm in Calhoun County. Bill can be reached at [email protected].