Daily US Times: The FBI director told the US Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday that the bureau has more than 2,000 investigations that tie back to the Chinese government and is opening a new investigation in “every 10 hours”.
In his testimony, director Christopher Wray said that no other country represented more of a threat to the US’ democratic ideals and economic security than China, adding that its ability to influence American institutions was “deep and wide and persistent.”
Wray’s comments about China investigation come amid rising tensions between the US and China across a range of fronts, including issues related to Taiwan and Hong Kong and alleged human rights abuses in China’s western region of Xinjiang.
Avril Haines, US Director for National Intelligence and William Burns, CIA Director, spoke alongside Mr Wray at the hearing Wednesday, the first group public testimony of the nation’s intelligence leaders before the US Congress since 2019.
In particular, the FBI director identified an indictment relating to a Chinese government operation called “Foxhunt,” which he alleged involved China conducting “uncoordinated illegal law enforcement activity” on US soil as a means to “threaten, intimidate harass (and) blackmail” members of the ethnically Chinese “diaspora.”
Mr Wray said: “It’s an indication and an illustration of just how challenging and diverse this particular threat is.”
The Chinese government views “Operation Foxhunt” as an international anti-corruption campaign that targets fugitives from China, often rich individuals or former officials suspected of economic crimes.
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