China could rely on the ingenuity, intelligence and insight of its 1.4 billion citizens. But a select group of the world’s top law enforcement agency leaders says China instead relies on the smarts of other country’s citizens…by stealing.
“We’re talking about agriculture, biotech, health care, robotics, aviation, academics research,” FBI Director Christopher Wray told “60 Minutes” as he laid out the reach of China’s efforts to acquire proprietary information in a variety of vital sectors.
--FLASHBACK: A decade ago, Chinese nationals were accused of digging up genetically modified seeds in Iowa and planning to send them to China.
Wray is part of an international group nicknamed, “Five Eyes.” It is made up of Wray and four other top law enforcement leaders from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
The group is warning about the imminent dangers that China poses. “The Peoples Republic of China represents the defining threat of this generation…in this era,” Wray said.
“There is no country that presents a broader, more comprehensive threat to our ideas, our innovation, our economic security and, ultimately, our national security,” Wray said during the interview.
He estimated that there are nearly 2,000 active investigations into China reportedly trying to steal trade secrets.
--RELATED: For the first time in a half dozen years, China announced its intent to make bulk buys of U.S. soybeans, Reuters reported following the October 24th ceremony in Des Moines, Iowa. There are 11 purchasing agreements with U.S. companies, according to the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
Read previous American Farmland Owner reports on concerns regarding Chinese ownership of American farmland, along with one state’s directive for Chinese owners to divest from a U.S. company.
