Chinese nationals, sometimes posing as tourists, have tried to access sensitive US military infrastructure at least 100 times in recent years, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
Potential Espionage Threat
The incidents include scuba divers found swimming in waters near a government rocket-launch site in Florida and Chinese nationals crossing into a missile range in New Mexico without authorisation.
Many times, these incidents have taken place far from a commercial airport, in rural areas, where there is little tourism.
Thus dubbed the “gate crashers,” the US government believes these individuals aim to test the security status and practices at critical infrastructure sites, and views them as potential espionage threats.
Last year, the Defense Department, FBI and other agencies held a review to try to limit such incidents.
Officials familiar with the events told WSJ that the individuals are typically Chinese nationals forced into service and are required to report back to Beijing. They are also known to follow a similar script when apprehended by authorities, often posing as lost tourists trying to navigate to a nearby fast-food chain, on military bases.
US Action
Rep. Jason Crow (D., Colo.), told WSJ that the incidents are concerning enough that Congress might consider looking into legislation.
Crow, who is also a member of the intelligence committee, said that lawmakers are concerned that some of these cases lack proper jurisdiction, as most trespassing laws are local, and not federal.
“We need to work closely with our state and local partners to train them and equip them,” he said. “Right now, they don’t know how to deal with it.”
Chinese Stance
Commenting on the incidents, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson with the Chinese Embassy in Washington said that the claims are “purely ill-intentioned fabrications.”
“We urge the relevant US officials to abandon the Cold War mentality, stop groundless accusations, and do more things that are conducive to enhancing mutual trust between the two countries and friendship between the two peoples,” Liu added.