A Congressional spy investigation uncovered communications devices on some terminals. cargo crane made in china Located in several U.S. ports, wall street journal It was reported on Thursday.
Representatives from the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard said during a recent House Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee hearing that 80% of U.S. cargo cranes are manufactured in China.
“We absolutely agree, and there is certainly an over-reliance on cranes made by manufacturers in the People’s Republic of China (PRC),” said Krista Brzozowski, DHS’ acting assistant secretary for trade and economic security. Ta. CNBC report.
More than 99% of cargo that comes to Japan from overseas passes through ports. According to the United States, U.S. ports generate $5.4 trillion in economic activity and support approximately 31 million American jobs. American Port Authority Association.
Last year, national security and Justice Department officials warned that a Chinese-made port crane made by Shanghai-based manufacturer ZPMC could be a Trojan horse. WSJ said. At the time, China said the Biden administration’s espionage concerns were “based on paranoia.”
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China I have written“Accusations that China uses ship-to-shore cranes to collect data are completely unfounded. need to be provided.”
AAPA dismissed the claims as “sensational,” saying there was no evidence to support the administration’s concerns. CNBC report.
On February 21, President Biden signed the agreement. presidential order This is to “strengthen the security of the country’s ports.” The administration noted that it plans to invest more than $20 billion in port crane production to bring manufacturing back to the United States.
The Journal reported Thursday that an inspection of the cranes found that some contained unclaimed communications equipment, including more than a dozen cellular modems. Such devices are often used to remotely monitor crane operations.
In December, one port told the House Homeland Security Committee: “When we first saw the modem in China, it was on a crane, so we don’t know who installed it.” The port estimates the modem was installed in 2017, when the crane was built in China. The device was removed in 2023.
Republican Representative Mark Green of Tennessee told the Journal that China is poised to “systematically infiltrate critical U.S. infrastructure, including the maritime sector, gathering valuable intelligence and exploiting vulnerabilities.” “We’re looking for every opportunity to improve.”
“The United States has clearly ignored this threat for far too long,” Green said.
Last week, the Homeland Security Committee told ZMPC that the communications equipment “does not contribute to the operation of[ship-to-shore]cranes or marine infrastructure, and does not contribute to the operation of[ship-to-shore]cranes or marine infrastructure,” and It’s not part of the contract.” ” reported the WSJ.
ZMPC did not respond to requests for comment from CNBC or the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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