The Pentagon is “increasingly concerned” that Chinese-made harbor cranes, which are in US ports around the country, could be used as a tool for espionage, writes The Wall Street Journal, citing US counterintelligence sources.
According to the interlocutors of the publication, the Chinese cranes of the manufacturer ZPMC are comparable to “a Trojan horse hiding in plain sight.” They are relatively inexpensive, high quality, and contain sophisticated sensors that can record and track the origin and destination of all containers exported or imported into the United States.
“Cranes can also provide remote access for those who want to disrupt the logistics of goods,” said former senior US counterintelligence official Bill Evanin. At the same time, he compared the technologies used in Chinese cranes with the “new Huawei”, referring to US accusations about the activities of a telecommunications company that was suspected of espionage and theft of secret data. “This is the perfect combination of legitimate business that can also masquerade as clandestine intelligence gathering,” Evanin said.
In turn, a representative of the Chinese embassy in Washington told the WSJ that US fears about spy cranes are “caused by paranoia” and are an attempt to hinder trade and economic cooperation with China. “Playing the “China card” and spreading the theory of the “China threat” is irresponsible and will harm the interests of the United States itself,” the Chinese embassy stressed.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
