Congressional Probe Finds Chinese Espionage Risk

Chinese cargo cranes in ports across the United States have embedded technology that could allow Beijing to covertly control them, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. This technology makes these cranes vulnerable to espionage.

Details: The piece cited a yearlong probe conducted by the House Homeland Security Committee and Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. It found that the China-based crane manufacturer zpmc pressured port operators to allow it to maintain remote access. According to the report:

• “[M]any [operators] cave to the pressure.”
• Opposing zpmc’s request is “difficult for customers who are looking to get the lowest price or guarantee a robust warranty policy.”
• In some cases, this technology was installed without the knowledge of the port operators.

It’s not rare for these technologies to be installed, but the tension between the U.S. and China makes this installment ominous.

Though legitimate maintenance concerns may have factored in, China’s national security laws mandate that companies cooperate with Beijing’s intelligence agencies. If the agencies want to use remote access to spy on America, Chinese companies would be forced to comply.

Some ports claim this threat is not as significant as many believe because the crane technologies, including guidance systems and programmable logic controllers, are often supplied by non-Chinese companies.

However, the probe found that these third-party companies often ship “critical internal components” to China for installation. In some cases, the part remains in China for 18 months before being shipped to the U.S., according to contracts.

Prophetic perspective: The Bible prophesies America’s rivalry with foreign powers like China. It warns that the declining U.S. power will soon have its advanced weaponry and strongholds destroyed. This technology could play a part in this prophecy.

To learn more, read “Chinese Spies Steal U.S. Tech Secrets.”