In a development that is as perplexing as it is concerning, over 100 incidents have been recorded involving Chinese nationals accessing or getting perilously close to U.S. military installations. The FBI and Department of Defense, among other agencies, have termed this phenomenon “gate-crashing.” The question that looms large is whether this is a clandestine effort orchestrated by Beijing to probe U.S. security.
Since 2018, federal agencies have been scrutinizing the security measures at military sites. According to U.S. officials, the suspicious activities appear calculated to test the strength of security protocols at these sites. One could describe it as a form of low-effort reconnaissance—almost espionage on a budget.
Typically, these incidents feature Chinese nationals who, it’s believed, have been coerced by Beijing into executing these operations and relaying information back to their government. To illustrate, Chinese nationals have been discovered snapping photographs at a missile range in New Mexico and even scuba diving in the suspiciously murky waters near a rocket launch site in Florida. And when confronted? They almost comedically claim to be misled tourists, stating that Google Maps sent them to the nearest fast-food joint or on-base hotel. Once, a group even tried to bulldoze their way past gate guards at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, insisting they were tourists with hotel reservations.
The incidents are not only becoming more frequent but, according to Pentagon spokeswoman Sue Gough, are often successful. Perpetrators usually “speed through security checkpoints” and are subsequently cited criminally, barred from future access, and escorted off-base.
Contrary to this, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy, rebuffed these claims as “purely ill-intentioned fabrications,” urging the U.S. to abandon its “Cold War mentality.”
While the White House and Department of Homeland Security have remained mum on the issue, Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado has spoken up, stating that Congress is considering legislation to close the loopholes in state trespassing laws that don’t address this new form of potential threat effectively.
This alarming trend is a wake-up call, emphasizing the need for vigilance in a world that’s increasingly complicated and dangerous. It’s crucial to not allow these incidents to fall under the radar. Lawmakers should move swiftly to address the security risks, collaborating at both federal and state levels to ensure that our military installations are impregnable fortresses, not tourist destinations for foreign nationals with murky intentions.
These incidents may be low-key, but their implications could be monumental. If this isn’t a clarion call for tightening security and being wary of international espionage efforts, what is? Vigilance, not vilification, should be our watchword, as we navigate these complex times while maintaining the values that make America unique.
