Thu, Aug 07, 2003 page8

• Editorial: China is biggest security threat

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  Who is the biggest espionage threat to the US? It is no longer Russia, the Cold War archenemy, nor the recently fashionable "axis of evil" countries -- Iran, Iraq and North Korea. The rapidly rising China has replaced the Soviet Union as the biggest espionage threat to the US in the past decade.

  Among the spies who have emerged in recent years are Larry Chin (金無怠), who spied for Beijing in the CIA for 30 years; scientist Lee Wen-ho (李文和), who was suspected of providing missile information to China; and Katrina Leung (陳文英), who used sex to obtain FBI intelligence. These were were all major Chinese spy cases that shocked the US and the rest of the world.

  According to an FBI estimate, Beijing has set up more than 3,000 front companies in the US to cover espionage activities. In addition, many of the Chinese students, businessmen and visitors entering the US every year are believed to be on intelligence-gathering missions. For the US, China poses a multi-faceted, all-round threat of infiltration. Chinese spies are not only increasing in number but also gradually expanding the scope of their work to reach the core of the US national security establishment.

  On Tuesday, Taiwan's law enforcement authorities exposed a Chinese spy ring. Yeh Chen-yu (葉鎮裕), a member of the espionage group, obtained research and development information from Chen Shih-liang (陳士良), a technician at the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, Taiwan's top defense research institution. Yeh also obtained intelligence on US-Taiwan military cooperation from Howard Hsu (許希哲), a retired Boeing engineer living in the US, and sold sensitive military equipment to China.

  Along with the increase in cross-strait exchanges, Chinese citizens coming to Taiwan as immigrants, businessmen or tourists -- as well as Taiwanese citizens doing the same in China -- can be recruited by Chinese intelligence agencies and become Beijing's spies.

  From the recent increase in Chinese spy cases, and from the expanding scope of infiltration into the military and defense research institutions, one can easily see the alarming loopholes in Taiwan's national security. These cases tell us that China is not just Taiwan's top enemy in intelligence security work. Chinese espionage activities have also become the biggest potential threat to American security.

  Taiwan has many years of experience in dealing with Chinese spies and has a deep understanding of Beijing's intelligence-gathering strategies and operations. The US has advanced intelligence and counter-intelligence technologies and facilities. Taiwan and the US need to increase their intelligence cooperation to ensure the security of both sides and to stop the harm done by the Chinese spy network to the security of Taiwan, the US, Asia and the world.

  Both Taiwan and the US are victims in this most recent case of Chinese espionage. It is not appropriate for the US to restrict the transfer of military technologies or curb weapons sales to Taiwan on account of this case. No side stands to benefit from such an act.

  By restricting weapons sales and the transfer of defense technologies, the US will be falling into China's trap -- Beijing has always been trying to sow discord between Taiwan and the US. Taiwan's security will then be seriously harmed, and the US will lose one layer of protection for its defense security. The only beneficiary will be China.

  Both Taiwan and the US should take this opportunity to review their intelligence and security systems, find the loopholes and jointly formulate strategies to resolve the threat. This will be the only win-win strategy.
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