We Are More Exposed Than Ever to China’s Serious Threats

Assessing Vulnerabilities to China

There’s a growing need to evaluate our nation’s exposure to Communist China. This isn’t just an abstract concern; the urgency is becoming clearer with recent events.

For instance, reports indicate that Chinese-made buses are equipped with a “kill switch,” allowing remote control to stop them. The UK is now inspecting these buses for such features, and they’re also used in Denmark. It’s troubling to think that manufacturers might control these vehicles from afar—perhaps to prevent chaos under selected circumstances?

Moreover, it’s been reported that China plans to export 24% more electric vehicles and battery systems in 2025, primarily to Germany and the U.S. One can’t help but recall the case with Duke Energy, which had to remove Chinese batteries from a U.S. Marine base due to their capacity for remote communication.

The bipartisan U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission recently highlighted risks related to our power grid, urging lawmakers for increased funding to modernize it and to prohibit Chinese energy storage systems with remote capabilities. They warned about possible intrusions or misuse.

But it’s not just our energy sector at risk.

According to Fortune, over the last 25 years, China has secretly lent around $200 billion to U.S. firms. Ironically, while the U.S. has warned other nations about trusting loans from China, it turns out that the largest loan recipient has been America itself, raising questions about the implications for security and technology.

In another concerning incident, China has attempted to gather sensitive information by posing as recruiters on LinkedIn. One such individual, Amanda Chiu, was implicated in contacting British MPs under the guise of leading a legitimate executive search firm.

Adding to the tension, China’s increased military presence comes amid warnings from Japan about potential intervention if China infringes on Taiwanese sovereignty. Following recent threats, Chinese tourist bookings to Japan dropped significantly, showing the strain in diplomatic relations. The situation has grown so tense that seafood imports from Japan have been suspended by China.

In a related development, China is transitioning from diesel to electric trucks. This action, couched as an environmental initiative, seems more strategic in preparing for potential conflicts, especially given China’s limited oil and gas resources.

According to a report, China has posed a significant cyber risk to the U.S. through a long-term strategy aimed at infiltrating the nation’s critical infrastructure. Recently, there have been claims that a hacking group linked to China may have accessed data from American citizens. It’s unsettling that even though the Biden administration has taken measures, they seem to have fallen short in countering this cyber threat.

All of this is quite alarming, and these developments emerged just last week.

Recently, President Trump reached a preliminary trade agreement with President Xi regarding rare earth minerals, yet it doesn’t tackle the pressing matters outlined here. Meanwhile, Congress appears preoccupied with less critical issues.

Historically, the U.S. has withstood challenges like Pearl Harbor and 9/11. However, the threat posed by China feels potentially far more devastating. Who’s truly monitoring this situation?