China Escalates Efforts to Influence U.S. State and Local Leaders, Officials Warn

[West Dundee Hawkeye]

China Influence Campaign

American counterintelligence officials briefed municipalities at an event hosted by Senate panel​

WASHINGTON—U.S. counterintelligence officials are stepping up a campaign to warn state and local government leaders and business executives about what they see as China’s increasing use of overt and covert means to influence policy-making.

A notice, to be released Wednesday by the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center, cites an aggressive, escalated campaign by China to lobby and otherwise influence state, local, tribal and business leaders as tensions with Washington rise.

Officials from the NCSC, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security advised state and local officials from around the country at a February event hosted by the Senate Intelligence Committee about the risks of Chinese influence operations, according to people familiar with the situation. The officials have since conducted other outreach efforts, the people said.

 

[Bonerfarts]

Maybe conservatives should have taken a stronger stance on foreign interference when they had the chance.

 

[IACub]

Oh no, someone will have too much influence on our elected officials. They might not do what's in the best interests of the people. This will be horrible and it's totally not already happening.

 

[FlickShagwell]

Oh no, someone will have too much influence on our elected officials. They might not do what's in the best interests of the people. This will be horrible and it's totally not already happening.

Yeah, Israel’s like, “get in line, China!”

 

[Bank of Hawk]

China looking out for numero uno. Russia was their test case; just like Russia is their test case for Tawain.