The US government should offer to train Taiwan’s top spy catchers, an expert told the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
Former FBI supervisory special agent David Major — also a former White House director of counterintelligence — said the training should include instructions on targeting and recruitment operations.
Testifying before the commission on Thursday, Major said that China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) is targeting Taiwan for espionage activities.
“Targeting of the Republic of China [ROC] is an exception to most of the rules of Chinese intelligence,” Major said. “This target is essentially the area of operation exclusively of the MSS. Taiwan is the third rail for China, both politically and for intelligence collection.”
“In the recent time period Taiwan pushed the USA hard for the release of new F-16 fighter aircraft and is awaiting delivery of Patriot PAC-3 air defense missile systems and the P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. All these technologies are targets of the mainland Chinese,” he added.
Major said in his testimony that China has an “intense interest” in developing the capability to disrupt Taiwanese communications ahead of an attack on the nation.
He said that according to a former US deputy defense secretary, China’s penetration of Taiwan affected what types of arms the US was willing to sell to Taiwan.
Major said that China’s success in penetrating Taiwan’s military and intelligence community agencies had serious implications for US national security.
He said that between 2002 and this year, 56 people in Taiwan were charged with being clandestine agents of the MSS or the People’s Liberation Army.
According to Major, there were 23 espionage plots over the period, all but six of which involved more than one person.
Included in the 56 people charged were 15 members of Taiwan’s three intelligence services — the National Security Bureau, the Military Intelligence Bureau and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau.
“The [People’s Republic of China] PRC intelligence service relies heavily on their recruited Taiwan agents recruiting sub-agents and creating networks,” Major said.
He said that at least 50 percent of the Taiwanese were recruited into espionage for the PRC by a co-worker, friend or relative.
“Justifiable concerns about the security of US defense systems sold to Taiwan are a byproduct of this espionage activity,” Major said.
He said that Taiwan had made efforts to improve security — including trip reporting and routine polygraphs for personnel with sensitive access as well as boosting its counterintelligence staff.
“It is hoped that both countries are openly sharing damage assessments to help make way for improved US-Taiwan counterintelligence cooperation,” Major said.
“Knowing the degree of severity of Taiwan’s espionage losses, the US government will assume the worst case in spite of the many questions that could be raised about how much damage each spy did,” he added. “If the US begins to slow down or stop the transfer of needed technology and information with Taiwan for fear of espionage loss, then the PRC wins and Taiwan is doomed.”
The commission hearing on Chinese intelligence services and espionage operations asked all of those who testified for recommendations on congressional action.
“The US government should consider offering first-class advanced counterintelligence training to the three ROC intelligence agencies,” Major said. “This would include training on targeting and recruitment operations.”
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