U.S. expelled Chinese officials after they drove onto military base - NYT

[webfact]

U.S. expelled Chinese officials after they drove onto military base - NYT

 

FILE PHOTO: The Chinese flag is raised in front of the China Pavilion during a flag raising ceremony at the Shanghai World Expo site in Shanghai April 30, 2010. REUTERS/Alfred Jin

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government covertly moved to expel two officials from the Chinese embassy earlier this year, after they drove onto a military base, the New York Times reported, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter.

 

The newspaper reported https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/15/world/asia/us-china-spies.html on Sunday that one of the two Chinese officials is believed to be an intelligence officer operating under diplomatic cover.

 

The Chinese officials breached security at a base in Virginia this fall, and only stopped driving after fire trucks were used to block their path, the Times said.

 

A law enforcement official familiar with the episode confirmed to Reuters that the account in the New York Times is accurate.

 

An FBI spokeswoman declined to comment. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the incident.

 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese Embassy in Washington could not be immediately reached for comment.

 

Though the exact reason for why the Chinese officials drove onto the base in Norfolk, Virginia was unknown, American officials believe it may have been to test security, one source told the newspaper.

 

When they finally stopped driving, the Chinese officials told the military guards they had gotten lost.

 

Weeks later, on Oct. 16, the State Department issued new rules on Chinese diplomats which require them to notify the department before they have any meetings with local or state officials, or with educational and research institutions.

 

 

The United States in recent years has stepped up efforts to combat concerns about suspected spying by the Chinese.

 

Investigators have been asking American universities to keep a closer watch on students and visiting Chinese scholars, and last year U.S. President Donald Trump signed a law prohibiting the U.S. government from buying telecom and surveillance equipment from Chinese companies Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp <000063.SZ>.

 

The administration also slapped tariffs on a variety of Chinese goods, and the Justice Department has aggressively pursued prosecutions of suspected spies.

 

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Writing by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-16

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[zydeco]

Chinese spies, agent provocateurs, and saboteurs running freely around like they're in Disneyland. And Trump tries to keep it all hidden. And not only that, he folds on a trade deal and rewards the Chinese for all these actions. Just like his silence on Hong Kong and the South China Sea. Why trade with China, after all, if you're just going to let their spies take everything for free?

[legend49]

I dont believe any news that comes out of MAGA anymore.

[1Gringo]

51 minutes ago, legend49 said:

I dont believe any news that comes out of MAGA anymore.

 

anymore???????????

[Emdog]

Maybe they tried to park in spaces reserved for Russian officials...

[Fore Man]

Got lost?  In a pig's eye.  All US bases are protected by manned security gates at each ingress point.  The Chinese must have driven through the gate and failed to stop when ordered by the SPs who man each gate.  That led to a general alarm being raised and actions to block their progress...in this case a roadblock consisting of five fire trucks.  Bravo to the good guys.

[whimsicalmike]

25 minutes ago, Fore Man said:

Got lost?  In a pig's eye.  All US bases are protected by manned security gates at each ingress point.  The Chinese must have driven through the gate and failed to stop when ordered by the SPs who man each gate.  That led to a general alarm being raised and actions to block their progress...in this case a roadblock consisting of five fire trucks.  Bravo to the good guys.

why didn't they just shoot them.

[Srikcir]

23 minutes ago, whimsicalmike said:

why didn't they just shoot them.

"operating under diplomatic cover"

[Fore Man]

Diplomatic freedom of movement in the US is normally restricted for selected, adversarial countries to no more than a 25-mile radius from their embassy or rezidentura.  We don't always hold them to it, and they usually make routine requests for exception, such as to visit a nearby tourist attraction, park or to stage a special event such as a picnic or sports contest.  My guess is the Chinese overstepped their bounds and violated our very serious rules (that their dips acknowledge in writing) that restrict them them from entering a USG installation unless under official escort and approval.  Again, total hogwash.  This is espionage 101.  

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, Fore Man said:

Got lost?  In a pig's eye.  All US bases are protected by manned security gates at each ingress point.  The Chinese must have driven through the gate and failed to stop when ordered by the SPs who man each gate.  That led to a general alarm being raised and actions to block their progress...in this case a roadblock consisting of five fire trucks.  Bravo to the good guys.

Yes, that is how spies operate. They get in their car, ignore security gates, make photos, and get out again through those gates.

[from the home of CC]

there was a time when this and Saudis killing Americans on US bases would of never occurred.. 

[rgraham]

Should have shot them, message about security would have been quite clear.

[Tug]

It’s easy to get on base I.d.and proof of insurance is gennerálly all you need unless ther is a security alert that beeing said deport the bums!

[emptypockets]

The sailed a warship into Sydney Harbour recently and the sailors went shopping for baby formula. The Government said after the event that it was all known about and approved. Shame they didn't make this public beforehand.

[emptypockets]

2 hours ago, Tug said:

It’s easy to get on base I.d.and proof of insurance is gennerálly all you need unless ther is a security alert that beeing said deport the bums!

Sounds like Thailand immigration if you are on an OA Visa.

[TPI]

On 12/16/2019 at 9:22 AM, zydeco said:

Chinese spies, agent provocateurs, and saboteurs running freely around like they're in Disneyland. And Trump tries to keep it all hidden. And not only that, he folds on a trade deal and rewards the Chinese for all these actions. Just like his silence on Hong Kong and the South China Sea. Why trade with China, after all, if you're just going to let their spies take everything for free?

Didums!