Recruiting officials, spy balloons and TikTok: China's tentacles to influence the U.S.

Ensuring national security and that of Americans are priorities for Donald Trump. Something he reiterated during the campaign and continued to maintain since he won in the November 2024 elections and returned to the White House as president. An immovable aspect. To accomplish this, he is aware of the presence of lurking names of his own that could seriously jeopardize the integrity and stability of the country. And one of those threats is represented by China.

The mere fact that the communist regime - led by Xi Jinping - has profound interests within federal boundaries is not news. Evidence exists... and will continue to emerge, because it hasn’t stopped. It has always existed.

Recruitment of officials

The latest hint to appear on the scene has been China's intention to recruit U.S. officials or former U.S. officials. The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) reported that Chinese intelligence services are trying to convince people with federal agency experience to accept job offers through a modus operandi replete with "deceptive" methods and "sophisticated" strategies.

"Foreign intelligence entities, particularly those from China, are targeting current and former United States Government (USG) employees for recruitment by posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks, and other entities on social and professional networking sites. Their deceptive online job postings and other virtual methods have become more sophisticated in targeting unknowing individuals with USG experience seeking new employment. Current and former federal employees should be wary of these methods and understand the potential consequences of participating in them," said the NCSC.

Sexual relationships with citizens of China

Before this case came to light, there were others. A few weeks ago, the Department of State (DOS) banned employees and diplomatic personnel in China - in addition to family members and contractors with security clearances - from having romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese nationals, something that could bring a diplomatic and national security breach.

The measure was taken by former ambassador Nicholas Burns, who extended the rule, since, until now, it was only forbidden to have relations with Chinese citizens working as guards or support staff at the U.S. Embassy and other consulates in the Asian country.

Cranes, spy balloon, police stations, TikTok, ...

Under the Biden Administration, this issue was not completely controled. In this period appeared that famous spy balloon that flew for days over U.S. airspace two years ago, who knows, if collecting information that would compromise national security. The communist regime defended itself, saying that the object deviated from its programmed trajectory and that its function was to analyze purely meteorological issues. Eventually, it was shot down.

At the time, the Department of Defense (DOD) was concerned about the large number of Chinese-origin cranes in U.S. ports. The reason for that alarmism is that these devices possess sensors that could serve as a "spying tool" for the Asian giant, since they could record and track data on the origin and destination of containers on ships, and send this information both inside and outside the country.

Officials also noted that those cranes might be able to provide remote access to someone who wants to disrupt the flow of goods.

In October 2022, the communist regime opened a commissary in New York. Non-profit groups denounced this as a violation of human rights by the communist regime, as it allegedly monitored the steps and actions of all Chinese citizens living abroad. The one in New York is one of more than 50 police stations that China had spread across some 30 countries.

Almost a year later, in April 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest and indictment of two Chinese nationals. The detainees are accused of operating an espionage station in Manhattan on orders from the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China. According to the DOJ, the mission of this station, in addition to carrying out espionage work, was to persecute and harass Chinese dissidents based in the United States who spread messages against the Beijing government.

Finally, TikTok. For years, the social network owned by ByteDance - which, for the moment, can be used inside the United States- has been singled out as a useful tool for the communist regime to spy and influence the country. In March 2024, Intelligence reported that Beijing used TikTok to influence the midterm elections. According to a report published by the agency, TikTok accounts run by the communist regime's propaganda arm attempted to influence candidates from both political parties during the election process. A warning that extended to the last presidential election.