WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2008

U.S. Panel Warns Of Chinese Espionage

China Stealing "Vast Amounts Of Sensitive Information" In Digital Spy Attacks

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(AP)  A congressional advisory panel said Thursday that China has stepped-up computer espionage attacks on the U.S. government, defense contractors and American businesses.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission also said in its annual report to lawmakers that aggressive Chinese space programs are allowing Beijing to target U.S. military forces better.

"China is stealing vast amounts of sensitive information from U.S. computer networks," said Larry Wortzel, chairman of the commission set up by Congress in 2000 to advise, investigate and report on U.S.-China affairs.

The commission of six Democrats and six Republicans said in the unanimously approved report that China's massive military modernization and its "impressive but disturbing" space and computer warfare capabilities "suggest China is intent on expanding its sphere of control even at the expense of its Asian neighbors and the United States."

The commission recommended that lawmakers provide money for U.S. government programs that would monitor and protect computer networks.

Messages left with the Chinese Embassy in Washington were not immediately returned. Officials in Beijing have responded to past reports by saying China does not try to undermine other countries' interests and seeks healthy ties with the United States.

The report comes two months before President-elect Barack Obama takes office. The Democratic Obama administration probably will continue the Republican Bush administration's efforts to work with and encourage China, a veto-holding member of the U.N. Security Council that the United States needs in nuclear confrontations with Iran and North Korea.

During the campaign for president, then-candidate Obama said that "China is rising, and it's not going away," adding that Beijing is "neither our enemy nor our friend; they're competitors."

In the commission's report, Chinese military strategist Wang Huacheng is quoted as calling U.S. dependence on space assets and information technology its "soft ribs."

Quote

China is stealing vast amounts of sensitive information from U.S. computer networks.

Larry Wortzel, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Chairman
China's space program is "steadily increasing the vulnerability of U.S. assets," the report said. For instance, improvements in satellite imagery allow China to locate U.S. carrier battle groups more accurately, faster and from farther away.

People's Liberation Army officer and author Cai Fengzhen is quoted as saying that the "area above ground, airspace and outer space are inseparable and integrated. They are the strategic commanding height of modern informationalized warfare."

"If this becomes Chinese policy," the report said, "it could set the stage for conflict with the United States and other nations that expect the right of passage for their spacecraft."

The commission also found fault with what it said was China's use of prison labor to produce export products and with Beijing's lax regulatory oversight of an estimated 4.5 million fish farms.

"Even more shocking is the lack of regulations and inspections within the United States," Commissioner Carolyn Bartholomew said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, she said, inspects less than 2 percent of all fish imports. The FDA plans this week to open several offices in China, she said, but "the challenge is immense. More than a billion pounds of Chinese seafood, valued at $1.9 billion, was imported into the United States in 2006."

The commission also criticized China for violating commitments to avoid trade-distorting measures, adopting new laws that may restrict foreign access to China's markets and keeping its currency undervalued to get an export advantage.

It recommended that Congress enact legislation to respond to China's currency manipulation and create enforceable disclosure requirements on investments in the United States for foreign sovereign wealth funds and other foreign state-controlled companies.

© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Add a Comment See all 40 Comments
by demdump November 20, 2008 1:48 PM PST
U.S. Panel Warns Of Chinese Espionage

Seriously, is this a joke ????????what are we gonna do about it..
Reply to this comment
by liberalme November 20, 2008 2:01 PM PST
U.S. Panel Warns Of Chinese Espionage

Seriously, is this a joke ????????what are we gonna do about it..



Posted by Demdump at 01:48 PM : Nov 20, 2008

Hey---we''re busy trying to catch terrorists--what do you want?
The FBI has over 800,000 names on the terror watch list--haven''t heard where that list has been responsible for "catching" any cells.

I also think we should continue to let our corporations keep the Chinese employed---after all that''s over 250% profit for them in the Chinese efforts to kill the world---

Tell you what--if anyone in my family got sick on a product made in China-I would hold the corporation complicit!

Our "government" has dropped the ball in so many ways these past 8 years--we can only hope the Obama team can clean this mess up!

Reply to this comment
by caliengineer November 20, 2008 2:01 PM PST
China''s plan to merge the world into "one China" includes conquering America "in a single day."
Reply to this comment
by seer57 November 20, 2008 2:12 PM PST
We would''nt want to piz''m off now would we? They might call in our 500 billion debt we owe them.Now they really got us. What we need now is.......CHANGE. Well then again most of the stuff they make in China breaks or wears out prematurely so maybe their spy ware aint worth dogsht.We probably are doing something but our CIA can''t talk about it.
Reply to this comment
by flreason November 20, 2008 2:28 PM PST
Unfortunately, this is no joke. There was a time when selling technology to China was a crime. However, the free-traders won out, so they could tap into the emerging markets in Asia and outsource to an educated work force that were cheaper than U.S. workers. We have been sold down the river by corporations who value profits over security.

Jefferson was right:
"Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains."
Reply to this comment
by November 20, 2008 2:34 PM PST
Countries are committing espionage against one another? What a surprise!
Reply to this comment
by manstantrust November 20, 2008 2:34 PM PST
They used to say when I was in Europe some 25 years ago hat the chinese will imitate everything, but do it better. Now who is to blame?
Reply to this comment
by incog-nito November 20, 2008 2:39 PM PST
They spy on us. We spy on them. Let''s call it even.
Reply to this comment
by notfooled November 20, 2008 2:40 PM PST
Vice-President Cheney has been indicted for crimes related to organized crime in Texas, but the media is hardly carrying the story which should be front page material all over the country.

Hopefully the trials for genocide and crimes against humanity will be next.
Reply to this comment
by erasmus81 November 20, 2008 2:45 PM PST
How many of them do you think are trying to crack ''''bama''''s Berry at this very moment?

Posted by impeach___w at 02:09 PM : Nov 20, 2008

Hahahahaha

Reply to this comment
by oldone61-2009 November 20, 2008 2:48 PM PST
"...Hopefully the trials for genocide and crimes against humanity will be next."
-------------------------------
Posted by notfooled at 02:40 PM : Nov 20, 2008

Sure! The left wing will have its political show trials and the right wing will have its political show trials when they get back in power (which ***will*** happen).

Yep - that''s where we want this country to go!
Reply to this comment
by incog-nito November 20, 2008 2:53 PM PST
Sure! The left wing will have its political show trials and the right wing will have its political show trials when they get back in power (which ***will*** happen).

Yep - that''''s where we want this country to go!

Posted by oldone61 at 02:48 PM : Nov 20, 2008

Will they sell hot dogs and popcorn at the show trials? If so I''ll be there.
Reply to this comment
by thuderstone November 20, 2008 2:54 PM PST
The Bush administration is also soft on Israeli programs.
Reply to this comment
by pcreversed November 20, 2008 3:32 PM PST
And we gave china "favored nation status" why??? They are going to be our masters soon and we will let them do it gladly. Our governemnt needs to be over-thrown and recreated to serve the people of this country. they have little interest in us and it is out of control
Reply to this comment
by leeanna58 November 20, 2008 3:39 PM PST
Bill Clinton gave our technology to China when he was President. Now the O''Clintons are back in power, who knows what they will give away next?
Reply to this comment
by thuderstone November 20, 2008 3:46 PM PST
Obama will not deal with Chinese like how Bill Clinton did. The biggest issue is still jobs. Also with so much at stake, I wonder if Obama would trim US aid to foreign countries.
Reply to this comment
by zaniacloclo November 20, 2008 4:03 PM PST
Why don''t we start with Bill Gates. He loves chinese programmers. How about other high tech companies.
In the pursuit of the mighty all dollar we have compromised national security....

How will multinational corporations deal with China.
Just like Google has done? Shame on our corporate leaders for selling out. Oh yes I forgot,we do not have the talent here in the US to develop anything this is why we need the H1 visas.What a bunch of crooks. What we do not have here is leaders with values and respect for fellow Americans.
Reply to this comment
by leeanna58 November 20, 2008 4:04 PM PST
I wonder if Obama would trim US aid to foreign countries.

Posted by thuderstone

It will be interesting to see what happens.
Reply to this comment
by leeanna58 November 20, 2008 4:06 PM PST
Will they sell hot dogs and popcorn at the show trials? If so I''''ll be there.

Posted by incog-nito

Don''t wait for the trials to get your pop corn and hot dogs, just go to a ball game.
Reply to this comment
by missingamerica November 20, 2008 4:09 PM PST
Ain''t nobody more treasonous than a capitalist in pursuit of more wealth.

Or more short-sighted.
Reply to this comment
by chad55555 November 20, 2008 5:07 PM PST
What do you expect,Clintons sold out to China when they were in office,stole our nuke plans and got any information they wanted from Bill. Russia and China are building up their military while the Muslim we elected is talking about cutting our military buget.China and Russia are building bases in South America and Cuba,China is building the worlds largest fleet of nuke subs.Do you think it''s just a hobby for them,don''t think so !
While America. the middle east and Africa is dealing with a split down middle America for many reasons. RUSSIA AND CHINA WORKING WITH THE MIDDLE EAST HAS BIGGER PLANS. IT''S ALL IN THE NEWS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS READ YOUR HISTORY AND YOU''LL REALIZE WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS FOR CHINA AND RUSSIA. Watch the movie Red Dawn(just a movie)but could happen when Russia and South America build up forces with the help of China and the Muslim nation of the Middle East.
Reply to this comment
by shimano35 November 20, 2008 5:09 PM PST
Airlift GODZILLA from Japan to China---Problem solved!!
Reply to this comment
by walt1944-2009 November 20, 2008 5:17 PM PST
It has been learned that still-RED China has been stealing secrets from US computer networks.

Naturally, we can all thank the efforts of the neocon Fascist Nazi Bush administration which opened the flood gates for "free trade" to China as well as the ever-greedy corporate executives in Corporate America for "farming out" sensitive electronics to be made and assembled in China and therefore copied and used against us.

The dictionary has a word for people who put money ahead of national pride and patriotism.

I think its called TRAITOR!

SIG HEIL, THOSE WHO BROKE THE LAW SHOULD BE PUNISHED: EXCEPT ME!!!!, BUSH!!!
Reply to this comment
by cj7jeepstir November 20, 2008 5:50 PM PST
Just more proof of how we''re selling out our country and our future, out of greed for the almighty dollar, and the government does not care one bit. They pay weak, pathetic, lip service to "protecting us," but the bottom line is they just don''t care. Far too many members of our government--and their friends--are making money hand over fist by sending our jobs and our technology to China. The terrorists are pipsqueaks compared to the threat of China. And it''s pointless to try and blame this president or that president. They are all equally to blame, from the current Bush back through Reagan.
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 November 20, 2008 6:27 PM PST
Ain''''t nobody more treasonous than a capitalist in pursuit of more wealth.
Or more short-sighted.
Posted by ibsteve2u at 04:09 PM : Nov 20, 2008



Yes there is. it is a Communist or Reigious zealot in search of World Domination in the name of (what/whoever?). They lose sight of the welfare of other humans and try to install their idea of (perfection?)
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 November 20, 2008 6:31 PM PST
Posted by ibsteve2u at 04:09 PM : Nov 20, 2008



A Capitalist usually subscribes to a form of ''Enlightened Self Interest''
Reply to this comment
by rushlimpdrug November 20, 2008 8:01 PM PST

As incredible as it sounds, most Americans
are so stupid they think that china is
no longer a communist country.
Reply to this comment
by mrkuren November 20, 2008 8:24 PM PST
Do you all expect to live forever, it was good while it lasted. We destroy ourselves, then rebuild. Its the wavelength of evolution. Enjoy life while it lasts, tomorrow the commies could kill us all, or you could get hit by a bus or we could all live happily ever after. FEAR is the real enemy, on either side.
Reply to this comment
by allzwell November 20, 2008 9:10 PM PST
What else did you expect? We''ve outsourced half our IT to Singapore , India, Pakistan or wherever. If you have any experience in this business, ''back doors'' are as common as fleas on a mangy dog. Apparently there''s not a soul left in top government today with any real world experience in the job they''re expected to do (we have heckuva job, Brownie''s everywhere), thus we get the crappy level of service we''ve recently repudiated with our vote. We''re paying for this monstrocity of a government and we may as well get some benefit out of it rather than killing it and our democracy and at the same time. As we watch our savings, retirement plans, and financial hopes and dreams evaporate into thin air remamber to follow the money because it''s not disappearing, it''s going from our pockets to somebody elses. Let''s see who profits off our pain and return the favor ten-fold.
Reply to this comment
by guadalcanal3 November 20, 2008 9:49 PM PST
All the more reason to be tight with Russia.
Reply to this comment
by babooph November 21, 2008 1:51 AM PST
Best not to let them find how behind the US has become-they are on the way to the moon-the US blasting schools &wedding parties with drones.
Reply to this comment
by rf35 November 21, 2008 4:39 AM PST
"The commission recommended that lawmakers provide money for U.S. government programs that would monitor and protect computer networks."

Yeah, I bet they do. Note the key word in this passage: "monitor." It looks like Americans are trading the last vestiges of their privacy for a false sense of secutiry. It started with monitoring phone calls after 9/11, now on to computer communications. What''s next, parabolic mics on every corner? I''m not given to paranoid delusions, but this is getting mighty stinky, fast. And just who will be doing this monitoring? A Chinese or Indian sub-contractor??
Reply to this comment
by earache4 November 21, 2008 6:53 AM PST
China Stealing "Vast Amounts Of Sensitive Information" In Digital Spy Attacks

It''s not stealing if you own the country you are taking the information from....
Reply to this comment
by liberty4you November 21, 2008 7:27 AM PST
Americans,

Our country''s security apparatus has sold us all out.
With Multi-national corporations collaborating with foreign intelligence agencies to spy on Americans in the name of security, Microspoft and others.

I suggest that everyone who wants to know and understand how our NSA is collaborating, then read then New York Times'' contributor: James Bramford''s

The Shadow Factory -no joke.
Reply to this comment
by getoffmine1 November 21, 2008 8:43 AM PST
gee there a shocker, China stealing who would have thought. Most of their technology has been gained that way. If we stopped trading and all relations with them we could screw them up really bad, despite the money we owe them. Instead of bailing out credit card companies, car makers and banks, lets take the rest of the bailout package (350 billion) pay them back and then tell them to go to h e l l. Don''t allow any in=mports don''t give them any technology, patients for medicine, anything. In about 10 years they would be back to third world status, and we would be prosperous again due to finally getting rid of our debt and deficits, and balancing the budget. If everyone in that country were to starve as a result of our actions we would have done nothing wrong. We don''t owe them anything.
Reply to this comment
by welshwoman-2009 November 21, 2008 9:39 AM PST
We should bring manufacturing jobs back to the US and stop buying from China. But we would have to go non-union because the unions are the reason we lost the jobs in the first place - they want a lot of money to do nothing. I know, I work in a union shop. There are a few exceptions to the rule and I support them 100%.
Reply to this comment
by generey November 21, 2008 9:49 AM PST
China Stealing "Vast Amounts Of Sensitive Information" In Digital Spy Attacks.


Well duh.
Reply to this comment
by redfiveuk November 21, 2008 10:11 AM PST
With the idiotic political classes still espousing how we must all be part of the world economy, its no wonder the USA power is being drained away. Surely this is no the time to cancel all of China''s and Russia''s imports. If they really are going to overtake the usa both financially and militarily then we should not let them do it with USA $$$$, even a kindergarten kid could work that one out. But on no our gov just keeps on rolling us down the road to destruction.
Reply to this comment
by demdump November 21, 2008 12:07 PM PST
Ask Bill Clinton, he is the one invited China to WTO...hah hah hah
Reply to this comment
by lmartink November 22, 2008 1:25 PM PST
The reason nothing will happen is the big U.S. based corporations produce toxic junk in China which they sell here for tremendous profit.

They turn around and donate some of that moey to elect political candidates who will keep trading with Funking China.

Why China did not make Bush''s Axis of Evil list is beyond me.
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