A Chinese national who came to the US on a student visa and enlisted in the army reserves has been arrested in Chicago and accused of helping Beijing attempt to recruit American scientists and engineers.
Ji Chaoqun was allegedly tasked with providing Chinese intelligence with information from background checks on about eight American citizens – some of whom were US defence contractors.
The arrest comes as the US and China are locked in a high-stakes trade warand US counter intelligence step up efforts to combat Chinese espionage. China’s ministry of state security operates a large network of spies both inside China and around the world, and Chinese student groups in the US have been accused of coordinating with government departments.
The 27-year-old, who first arrived in Chicago in 2013 to study electrical engineering on a student visa at the Illinois Institute of Technology, was charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires individuals working for foreign governments to register with the US Attorney General.
“By collecting this information for an arm of the Chinese government while in the United States, Ji knowingly and unlawfully acted as an agent of a foreign power,” Andrew McKay, an FBI agent, wrote in an affidavit.
At his first appearance in court, Ji asked the Chinese consulate be informed of his arrest and told the judge he understood his rights at the end of the 15 minute hearing. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted and was led away in handcuffs after US magistrate judge Michael Masonthe ordered that he remain in custody.
For more read the full of article at The Guardian
