China: MI5 and FBI heads warn of ‘immense’ threat.

Not sure if this is in the correct Forum but....

Apparently the Heads of both MI5 and the FBI have made an unprecedented joint appearance in London warning of the 'immense threat' posed by China.
www.bbc.co.uk...

They have warned that China is increasing its activities against 'The West' in almost every sphere and area.
They mentioned Chinese interference in recent elections, industrial espionage and sabotage, hacking, using genetically modified seeds, the obvious threat to Taiwan and activity in almost every aspect of society.

It is a chilling and quite worrying development.

"China has for far too long counted on being everybody's second-highest priority," Wray said, adding: "They are not flying under the radar anymore."

These two normally clandestine and secretive individuals don't pull their punches, which makes me think this might not be just the usual sabre rattling and public displays of hostility we are so used to in the world of global politics.

a reply to: Freeborn

I agree, Putin is nothing compared to China. China without a doubt is a growing danger. And a world where China is dominating is going to be a shock to the west for sure. And not a positive one.

a reply to: Freeborn

There is a small part of me that sometimes theorizes our intelligence agencies are running everything as it is anyway. FWIW depending on the level of the threat if it is true it might not be a bad thing. Considering it is Boris and Joe we are discussing here.

nypost.com...

Five men were charged Wednesday with spying on Chinese dissidents living in the US — with one of the government agents accused of planning to sabotage a veteran’s congressional run by seducing him with a sex worker, according to federal prosecutors.
Lin ordered the PI to dig up dirt on the unnamed candidate or “manufacture something” damaging, according to federal prosecutors. Lin also allegedly planned to hire a sex worker to strike up a relationship with the pol — and then come forward and ruin his reputation.

“Go find a girl… Or see how he goes for prostitution, take some photos, something of that nature,” he told the PI in messages obtained by the feds.

In December, Lin also allegedly floated the idea of physically attacking the candidate, saying in a voice message to the PI: “In the end, violence would be fine too. Huh?

“Beat him, beat him until he cannot run for election. Heh, that’s the-the last resort. You-you think about it. Car accident, [he] will be completely wrecked, right? Don’t know, eh, whatever ways from all different angles. Or, on the day of the election, he cannot make it there himself, right?”

reported in March. I had never heard any of this.

China definitely nobody's friend.

To be honest I've always been slightly dismissive of the threat posed by China.

They need 'The West' to trade.....their whole economy would crumble without that business.
I thought that the potential consequences of an invasion of Taiwan far offset any benefits.
And if anything I thought they might seek to exploit Russian weaknesses in the east during the Ukrainian conflict.

But as far as I'm aware nothing like this joint appearance has ever happened before.....and the details given and the brutal honesty shown leads me to think that there must be something in this.

I can only assume - yes, I hate assuming anything - that this is a public attempt to make China reign themselves in?

a reply to: ElGoobero

It reads like something from a TV programme; entertaining but stretching the realms of believability.....or maybe not?

originally posted by: Freeborn
To be honest I've always slightly dismissive of the threat posed by China.

They need 'The West' to trade.....their whole economy would crumble without that business.

I would be crazy for an Asian nation to get in a military conflict with the United States who also happens to be that Asian country's number one trade partner. It would be unprecedented and a very poor strategic move. No one is that stupid.




Unless you count Japan circa 1941. Then it happened already.

originally posted by: Freeborn

I can only assume - yes, I hate assuming anything - that this is a public attempt to make China reign themselves in?

hope it doesn't mean that the West is so powerless we can't make them pull back.

I wonder if China is going to be a parasite, sucking food and technology from the West, in return for...what? cheap labor?
they're in a bad position with so few resources. too bad they're playing dirty instead of cooperating.

I have not read or heard about this happening..


Thanks for bringing to attention as some people
are too focused on Russia..

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yeah, I'd tend to agree with that....it'd be shear lunacy to attempt an invasion of mainland USA.
The logistics of such an invasion would be immense.
And I imagine such an invasion would result in a 'gloves off' response from the US and despite what its many detractors might say the firepower at the US's disposal is truly staggering.

But China is proving a threat in every other area and it seems that threat is becoming so potent that a declaration like this has been deemed necessary.

I don't know if anyone from outside the UK can read the article linked to but these two Heads of their respective intelligence agencies seem to specifically emphasise the threat posed to technology and industry.

originally posted by: Freeborn
Yeah, I'd tend to agree with that....it'd be shear lunacy to attempt an invasion of mainland USA.

The Japanese had no ambitions to invade the United States, they just wanted us out of their way for a year or so which they got and this allowed them to expand their territory.

Then they eventually got hit in the head with a baseball bat like Al Capone did to that guy in The Untouchables. Twice.

a reply to: ElGoobero

China has invested heavily throughout Africa, Central and South America as well as the Middle and Far East.
They have invested in agricultural and industrial programmes and developments, in IT and new technology, in their infrastructure and even their education.
They'll want a return, and not just a financial one.

China plays the long game.....and China will only do what they believe is in China's best interests.

I'm not saying WWIII is imminent, but there's a reason for this unprecedented joint announcement.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I wouldn't be surprised if their end goal was total and utter dominance throughout the Far East and possibly even slightly further afield.
Weakening the US and its Allies may help them achieve that.....I don't know, I'm no analyst etc but I think it'll be interesting to see how they respond to this and to observe their actions over the coming months.

a reply to: Freeborn

Fox News just aired a report report describing how China is preparing to Claim the moon as their very own.

a reply to: Freeborn

I personally think conflict with China is unavoidable. They want Taiwan and when they do move, probably sometime this decade, we're going to defend them.

Yearh things are pretty messy.
I bet there are subs lurking around most places getting ready.
It is going to be hard to get out of this and reduce the tensions on all fronts.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I hope not.

They warn about the consequences in the article;

The FBI's Wray warned that if China was to forcibly take Taiwan it would "represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen".

Wray said China was drawing "all sorts of lessons" from the conflict in Ukraine. This included trying to insulate themselves from any future sanctions of the type that have hit Russia. If China did invade Taiwan, the economic disruption would be much greater than that seen this year, he said, with western investments in China becoming "hostages" and supply chains disrupted.

"I don't have any reason to think their interest in Taiwan has abated in any fashion," the FBI director told journalists after the speech.

a reply to: Freeborn

That would also jeopardize their Western investments. I think it's a wash.

a reply to: Freeborn

Like with the WMD's in Iraq?

I mean, can we trust these guys again?

a reply to: chr0naut

If true this has the potential to make what happened in Iraq look like a pre-school hissy fit.

It could just be another stage managed act of scaremongering...but then again?
They did seem to go into a lot of detail and specifics.

I don't see how the US/UK and their Allies would benefit from any major military confrontation....do you?