Two diplomats from China were expelled after being suspected of attempting to infiltrate a sensitive military base in Virginia and trespassing • In the US, one is believed to be an intelligence officer
China spies after US? // Photo: Getty Images
The United States has secretly deported two Chinese diplomats suspected of spying after being accused of an intrusion into a sensitive military base and trespassing. According to the report, six sources on the subject say that the Americans believe that at least one of the Chinese officials was a diplomatic cover intelligence officer.
For the first time in more than 30 years, Chinese diplomats have been suspected of spying. According to the New York Times, the two diplomats traveled with their wives last September to a sensitive facility near the US Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, trying to infiltrate it. They managed to evade military personnel, but eventually stopped at the base after firefighters blocked their way.
US Navy Base in Norfolk, Virginia // Photo: Getty Images
The details of the case have not been released by authorities in Washington or Beijing, and US intelligence officials say China is now a bigger spy threat than any other country right now.
"Officials in China with diplomatic passports appear more frequently in government research and facilities in recent months," US officials told the Times, describing how China is expanding its spy efforts in America.
