How China created a spy network in California. 'They will try anything'

Detailed summary

California has long been a pivotal espionage hub for China. Intelligence experts say that Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang's extramarital affair with a suspected Chinese spy shows that Beijing leaders are ramping up their network of spies and assets across the state.

This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

Over the last half a century, Chinese spies have taken aim at a wide swath of California targets.

They have worked as a Boeing aerospace engineer and a naval engineer at defense contractor Power Paragon to obtain highly classified information on U.S. space shuttle and Navy projects. They have assumed the roles of electrical engineering professor at UCLA and software engineer at Google and even worked as a driver and aide to the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein when she chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Intelligence experts say that China continues to ramp up its network of spies and assets across California, as underscored this week after Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang admitted he was embroiled in an extramarital affair when allegations surfaced that he had a relationship with a suspected Chinese spy.

“For years, the FBI has been sounding the alarm regarding China’s ambitious efforts to gain technological, economic and geopolitical superiority,” said former Assistant Chief Horace Frank of the Los Angeles Police Department, who oversaw intelligence. “Their activities constitute a long-term strategic threat — not only to the United States, but to the world. Their counterintelligence strategy is not only about stealing secrets today; it’s about securing strategic advantages tomorrow. They recognize that human vulnerabilities (sex, money, ego and ambition) can be crucial when it comes to them attaining this quest for global dominance.”

For China, California is a key espionage hub because it combines three attractive targets: advanced technology industries, major research universities and a large concentration of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, according to William Hannas, lead analyst at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.

“Silicon Valley is especially important,” he said, “because it offers access not only to existing technologies, but also to…

Cal…

Opening of the article, excerpted from Los Angeles Times. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.