Forbes Requests Judiciary
Subcommittee Hearing on Chinese Espionage
 Chairman of the Congressional China Caucus, Rep. Randy Forbes, recently
sent a letter to Chairman of the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
Judiciary Subcommittee Rep. Bobby Scott requesting hearings on the issues
of espionage and cyber-crime as it relates to China's influence and
operations in the United States.
The letter notes the importance of a hearing on
Chinese espionage as it relates to China's expansive military
modernization and its tremendous economic growth.
Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has testified before the
Judiciary Committee that China represents the number one espionage threat
to the United States. The Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Technology
Security and Counterproliferation has estimated that there are between 2,000 and
3,000 Chinese front companies operating in the U.S. to gather secret or
proprietary information. More recently, The New York Times
reported that security researchers investigating the Oak Ridge National
Lab hacking incident in October, which led to infiltration of the Lab's
system and data, concluded that the hacker source included a list of
Web and Internet addresses which were linked to locations in China.
In its 2007
Annual Report, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
www.uscc.gov
made the following recommendations about espionage operations and cyber
attacks originating in China:
Ensuring adequate support for U.S.
export control enforcement and counterintelligence
efforts: In order to slow or
stop the outflow of protected U.S. technologies and manufacturing
expertise to China, the Commission
recommends that Congress assess the adequacy of and,
if needed, provide additional funding
for U.S. export control enforcement and
counterintelligence efforts,
specifically those tasked with detecting and preventing illicit
technology transfers to China and
Chinese state-sponsored industrial espionage operations.
Ensuring adequate support for
protecting critical American computer networks and
data: The Commission recommends
that Congress assess the adequacy of and, if needed,
provide additional funding for
military, intelligence, and homeland security programs that
monitor and protect critical American
computer networks and sensitive information,
specifically those tasked with
protecting networks from damage caused by cyber attacks.
Chairman Scott recently noted in a separate Crime Subcommittee hearing on
December 6, 2007 that espionage hearings are in the works.
Click here
to read a copy of the letter sent to Chairman Scott.
Forbes Statement on
China’s Refusal to Allow USS Kitty Hawk its Port Visit to Hong Kong
 Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04)
released the following statement after the Chinese government confirmed
that the decision to refuse a normal port call by the aircraft carrier USS
Kitty Hawk and its escort vessels prior to the Thanksgiving holiday was a
deliberate act. Originally, the Chinese government stated to President
George Bush that it was a misunderstanding, not a deliberate decision.
“I am deeply frustrated by China’s refusal to allow entry to the USS Kitty
Hawk for its Thanksgiving visit to Hong Kong. This is a situation in which
something initially claimed to be a misunderstanding was actually a
deliberate act, and resulted in thousands of sailors missing their planned
leave in Hong Kong. Additionally, the hundreds of family members who had
flown to Hong Kong at personal expense ended up spending the Thanksgiving
holiday alone.
“However, even more serious than the impact on sailors and their families,
is the statement this makes on how the Chinese view the United States and
our ongoing diplomatic relations. This is another incident in a long line
of signals from the Chinese that they view the United States as a
competitor, not an ally. I remain concerned that the continued increase in
military spending by the Chinese could have a significant long-term impact
on the safety and security of the Western Pacific region as well as
U.S.-Sino relations. We cannot afford a misunderstanding that leads to a
misstep on either side, particularly as we near the date of Taiwan’s March
22 referendum on recognition by the United Nations.
“The duplicitous statements coming out of Beijing are emblematic of the
way the Chinese conduct their brand of diplomacy and should serve as a
cautionary statement to policymakers when dealing with Chinese leaders.”
China Caucus Events
Meeting with Vice President Foreign
Affairs of the National Congress of China
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Congresswoman Bordallo and Congressman
Forbes met with Mr. Congming Nu, Vice President of Foreign Affairs
of the National Congress of China, on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, December
12th. Discussion topics included the recent USS Kitty Hawk situation ,
recent agreements on food and product safety, projected outcomes of the
Strategic Economic Dialogue, and outcomes of the recent meetings of the
18th Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.
Other China Events
8th Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on
Commerce and Trade
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Chinese and the US delegations to
the 18th Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade signed 14
cooperative agreements and memoranda at the conclusion of the meeting on
Tuesday, December 11, 2007. These agreements and memoranda involve
tourism, trade, medical equipment, food and feed safety, alcohol and
tobacco, biofuel and bio-energy, agricultural technologies, AIDS
prevention, environmental protection technology and financial supervision.
The JCCT, formed in 1983, has served as a bilateral venue for China and
the United States to address trade and market access issues.
3rd China-U.S. Strategic Economic
Dialogue and the 5th Strategic Dialogue
Wednesday and Thursday, December
12-13, 2007
 The
United States and China began the 3rd China-U.S. Strategic
Economic Dialogue and the 5th Strategic Dialogue on Wednesday, December
12. U.S.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson arrived in Beijing on Monday night for
the third China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), held on
Wednesday and Thursday. The third SED was co-chaired by special
representative of the head of state of the countries, Chinese Vice Premier
Wu Yi and Paulson.
The dialogue, themed "Seizing Opportunities of Economic Globalization and
Dealing with Challenges of Economic Globalization", focused on six
topics: China and the United States working together to seize the benefits
and meet the challenges of globalization; strengthening the integrity of
trade; balanced economic development; managing the economic impact of
energy choices; balancing economic growth with environmental
sustainability; and advancing bilateral investment.
Photo
from U.S. Department of the Treasury. Secretary Paulson speaks at the
Second Meeting of the SED held in May 2007 in Washington, D.C.
China
In The News
Pentagon eyes China nuke talks
The Washington Times
December 6, 2007
The Pentagon this week proposed holding a strategic nuclear "dialogue"
with China, as Chinese military officials asked that Congress lift its
guidelines banning military exchanges with Beijing on nuclear operations.
Click here to read more.
China Resisting Pressure on Product
Safety
The New York Times
December 6, 2007
After pressing China for a new effort to police the safety of its food and
other exports, the Bush administration is finding Chinese leaders pushing
back, with demands for American commitments to insure the safety of
American food and goods, administration officials say.
Click here to read more.
Enemies at The Firewall
Time
December 6, 2007
Tan Dailin lets out an audible gasp when he is told that he was identified
in the U.S. as someone who may have been responsible for recent security
breaches at the Pentagon. "Will the FBI send special agents out to arrest
me?" he asks. Much as they might want to talk with him, though, FBI agents
don't have jurisdiction in Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan
province, where Tan lives.
Click here to read more.
China's Kitty Hawk Problem
Time
December 3, 2007
One of the most striking aspects of China's emergence as a world power has
been the sophistication with which the nation's complex and evolving new
role on the global stage has been managed. A country that once was known
for stonefaced spokesmen spouting slogans has displayed a remarkable
finesse in forging new relationships and revivifying old ones.
Click here to read more.
U.S. protests China's port refusal
CNN
November 29, 2007
The United States has filed a formal protest with China over the decision
to deny port visits to a U.S. aircraft carrier and two other ships last
week, an incident a Pentagon spokesman Wednesday called "baffling."
Click here
to read more.
Hunter asks Bush for China policy
meeting
The Hill
November 29, 2007
Presidential hopeful Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) is pressing President
Bush to call a meeting with several congressional committees to discuss
policy towards China in the aftermath of Beijing’s refusal to allow a Navy
aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships to dock in Hong Kong last
week.
Click here to read more.
China's ambitious plans in space
CNN
November 26, 2007
When China's lunar orbiter blasted off last month, there was not a cheer
or smile or a "whoo-haaa" to be had in mission control. Perhaps because
for the government scientists, it was just another small step in an
ambitious space program which could ultimately see a Chinese space station
orbiting the Earth, a Chinese moon colony and a joint China-Russia
explorer on Mars.
Click here to read more.
Chinese Spying Is a Threat, Panel
Says
Washington Post
November 16, 2007
Spying by China in the United States is the biggest threat to keeping
American technology secrets, a bipartisan government panel concluded in a
report released yesterday.
Click here to read more.
China, France sign $30 billion deals
The Washington Times
November 26, 2007
France netted deals in China for nuclear reactors and passenger jets worth
a combined $29.62 billion today, the second day of a state visit by French
President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Click here to read more.
U.S. warships allowed in Hong Kong
after being turned away
Associated Press
November 22, 2007
China's Foreign Ministry gave approval for U.S. Navy ships to spend
Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday in Hong Kong, hours after the warships
were turned away.
Click here to read more.
Hunter: New Report Confirms
America’s Defense Industrial Base Is Being Exported to China
Committee on Armed Services
November 15, 2007
U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), senior Republican on the House
Armed Services Committee, today called attention to a newly-released
annual report to Congress showing that the U.S. defense industrial base is
being exported offshore to China. The report, which was released by the
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, outlines the national
security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship
between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.
Click here to read more.
To read more news clips on China,
click here.
Contact Us
The China Caucus welcomes your ideas
and comments during the 110th Congress.
To contact the China Caucus, please send a letter
by mail or fax to:
|
Congressman J. Randy Forbes,
Chairman |
Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo,
Co-Chairwoman |
|
Attention: Jamie Miller,
Legislative Director |
Attention: Brendan Wheeler,
Legislative Assistant |
|
By Fax: (202) 226-1170 |
By Fax: (202) 226-0341 |
|
By Mail: 307 Cannon House Office
Building, Washington, DC 20515 |
By Mail: 427 Cannon House Office
Building, Washington, DC
20515 |
|
