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FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

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Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#31

Post by meowface »

IntronExon wrote: post #28
meowface wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, of course, but it would also be strange if the FBI didn't warn about it when they identify it happening so that they can decrease the chance of intelligence gatherers getting what they want.

I agree with the general principle you’re describing, it I’m unconvinced that it applies in this case. Do you see what I mean? How does this warning empower the public?

Perhaps if you're a researcher at a university and you get an interesting business offer out of the blue in exchange for access to something (maybe data you've gathered), you may be a bit more wary and consider if you're being manipulated by another government's intelligence service.

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#32

Post by DanAndersen »

During my undergrad university days (at the University of Utah), I took some Mandarin classes. There was a local Confucius Institute which provided various free materials in Chinese to the campus library. The extent of my direct contact with them was receiving a couple hundred dollars for doing well in a Mandarin speech contest they held for my class.

It was obvious that there was a certain propaganda aspect to this outreach effort; the reading materials provided of course didn't go into any potential negatives of the Beijing government, etc. Very much in line with the CCTV news network. My Mandarin teacher was Taiwanese and so I think that was good for me in that I wasn't getting all my exposure to Chinese from a single source.

I would not be surprised at all to learn that Chinese government operatives were using these various state-funded educational agencies for gaining intelligence and promoting their ideology. I assume the US is doing the same thing. It's a long game, with assets being put into place sometimes decades in advance. A healthy dose of cynicism is always important when dealing with state-funded groups; it's rare that countries invest such resources just out of the goodness of their altruistic hearts.

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#33

Post by mathperson »

Cyberdog wrote: post #27
thrillgore wrote: post #22

Here's where this statement is poisonous: I'm not sure if the FBI is actually being honest, or if this is some Trumpist bullshit that confirms how racist the current administration is. Either way, I find it hard to believe. If its the former, its not shocking. If its the latter, it's disappointing but not at all surprising.

You find it hard to believe that a major world power is conducting both espionage and soft power campaigns inside the US?

and he finds this hard to believe after a power (russia) interfered massively in an american election? an in europe...

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#34

Post by HoppedUpMenace »

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #8

Wow, this seems like straight-up racist fearmongering. The Chinese have "infliltrated" our schools by attending and starting culturally oriented studies? What's wrong with setting up classes for studying Mandarin, the #1 most popular language on the planet?

It states pretty clearly that there are Chinese operatives that are posing as students, professors, ect... Not that every student or professor is an operative.

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#35

Post by Cw67NTN8F »

350,000 students and god know how many employees. FBI apparently has around 35,000 employees. I know not all the students are spies, and not all suspicious ones get their own team of agents rights away, but looks like using a Patriot Missile to kill a $150 drone. Time and time again.

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#36

Post by bassman9000 »

thrillgore wrote: post #22

Here's where this statement is poisonous: I'm not sure if the FBI is actually being honest, or if this is some Trumpist bullshit that confirms how racist the current administration is. Either way, I find it hard to believe. If its the former, its not shocking. If its the latter, it's disappointing but not at all surprising.

I'm not sure if the FBI is actually being honest

Examples?

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#37

Post by JumpCrisscross »

seandougall wrote: post #30
nyolfen wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

presumably the language classes are not the activity they are worried about. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Confucius_Institu...

They don’t seem to be terribly clear on what they are worried about, if this article is to be taken at face value. The closest thing to a legitimate concern they can manage to cough up is that China might be stealing American research — but if that’s the case, why aren’t we more worried about other countries (say, ones that have less in the way of their own research resources than China)? Edit: thanks for adding the…

> why aren’t we more worried about other countries

China is our geopolitical competitor. Other countries aren’t.

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#38

Post by Libturd »

Cyberdog wrote: post #27
thrillgore wrote: post #22

Here's where this statement is poisonous: I'm not sure if the FBI is actually being honest, or if this is some Trumpist bullshit that confirms how racist the current administration is. Either way, I find it hard to believe. If its the former, its not shocking. If its the latter, it's disappointing but not at all surprising.

You find it hard to believe that a major world power is conducting both espionage and soft power campaigns inside the US?

he's a rabid trump-hating libturd, what do you expect from these deplorables?

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#39

Post by txru »

Sir_Cmpwn wrote: post #8

Wow, this seems like straight-up racist fearmongering. The Chinese have "infliltrated" our schools by attending and starting culturally oriented studies? What's wrong with setting up classes for studying Mandarin, the #1 most popular language on the planet?

There's no need to jump straight to racism here, given that this is coming from the director of the FBI.

The concern is that these groups report to the Chinese government, which would give the Chinese government the ability to control and suppress discussion of its policies abroad-- which is a bad thing.

Re: FBI Says Chinese Operatives Active at Scores of U.S. Universities

#40

Post by Cyberdog »

DanAndersen wrote: post #32

During my undergrad university days (at the University of Utah), I took some Mandarin classes. There was a local Confucius Institute which provided various free materials in Chinese to the campus library. The extent of my direct contact with them was receiving a couple hundred dollars for doing well in a Mandarin speech contest they held for my class. It was obvious that there was a certain propaganda aspect to this…

Thanks for sharing your experience. I agree that there's nothing inherently wrong with projects like the Confucius Institute, both by foreign governments as well as my own, but it certainly behooves the participants to consider the motivations of the people behind it.
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