The recent revelation that China targeted American politicians like Congressman Eric Swalwell for espionage efforts is another example of Beijing's campaign to spy on America and infiltrate the highest levels of U.S. government and society. A respected Chinese professor with knowledge of the Chinese Communist Party was even caught on video bragging that China has "old friends" in "America's core inner circle."
Reports of the Swalwell scandal and viral video of the Chinese professor touting their infiltration of the U.S. have caused much hand-wringing, but are no surprise to longtime national security experts. "This is not a new story, it's just a new episode," says Danny Coulson, former Deputy Assistant FBI Director now with Coulson and Associates. "Over 20 years ago, the Chinese stole the secrets to the B-2 bomber by using 'honeypots' against the man who designed it...he was convicted of espionage and sent to jail for 30 years."
Coulson tells KTRH the Chinese are especially dangerous because they are patient and have a never-ending supply of people to carry out their plans. "They'll have hundreds of spies at a time, and they put them in universities, they put them in government, they try to be close to fallible people," he says. "Even Defense Department research that is done by universities, they go after that...they go after our medicine, they go after everything, and they try to copy it or steal it."
As for how the U.S. should fight back, Coulson believes only a strong hand will deter China's advance into America. "The FBI has got a big job to counter this," he says. "I think that we should be closing down a lot of (Chinese) assets in the United States...close down their consulates, close down their embassies, get the hell out of our country."
The U.S. took a step in that direction last summer when the State Department closed the Chinese consulate in Houston, on allegations it was being used for espionage against the U.S. "We have to get serious about it and Congress has to get serious about it," says Coulson.