in some segments of our economy, the imports from China have fallen a few percentage points compared to last year. However, the amount of Chinese products imported by the Us is still massive. In 2022 we imported $564 billion of goods imported from China. This at a time when China still holds a significant percentage of our national debt and at a time when China has increased its warnings to the U.S. and sent spies and spy balloons to monitor our military bases. Are we endangering oour economy and national security by maintaining this trading partnership with a country honing in against us? Recently the U.S. revealed that two American sailors wee arrested and charged with spying for China. Both apparently provided confidential information to China including technical manuals used by sailors to do their work on warships. This was orchestrated by a Chinese intelligence office offering them cash.
In May a Chinese Jet carried out aggressive maneuvers in front of a U.S. military plane flying in international airspace over the south China Sea,China’s cyber attacks and cyberwarfare against us has escalated significantly. Investigations so far show the Chinese effort appears more widespread — in the United States and at American facilities abroad .The discovery of Chinese malware which has been positioned in our computer data bases has touched off a series of Situation Room meetings in the White House in recent months, as senior officials from the National Security Council, the Pentagon, the Homeland Security Department and the nation’s spy agencies attempt to understand the scope of the problem and plot a response.
The General Services Administration’s acquisition solutions offer private sector professional services, equipment, supplies, and IT to government organizations and the military. Yet a majority of products sold through the GSA website and purchased by our Defense Department are made in China. Chinese goods are loaded onto our Naval vessels and make their way into military bases. This is allowed and apparently needed. So we support this trading partner despite their hostility to us and the dangers of reliance upon a nation that is anticipating a war against us soon.
JEFFREY NEWMAN IS A WHISTLEBLOWER LAWYER. HE CAN BE REACHED AT JEFF@JEFFNEWMANLAW.COM
