East Michigan News

In public testimony under oath on Wednesday night, Bill Evanina, the former Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), testified that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses affiliated companies in the United States for espionage. Evanina also testified that the CCP and the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) will manipulate America’s work visa program to send people affiliated with the PLA to the United States. Evanina’s testimony came during a hearing of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the CCP and the United States.

Congressman John Moolenaar, a member of the Select Committee, questioned Mr. Evanina on the CCP's use of businesspeople, engineers, and workers for espionage efforts, specifically concerning the proposal for CCP-affiliated Gotion, which plans to build a factory in Mecosta County. Gotion has said publicly it plans to bring 20-50 CCP-nationals to help in developing the Mecosta County site. 

Moolenaar asked Evanina, “In your view, is it basically a guarantee that some of the people who come from China to work on this project will spy for the CCP?"

Mr. Evanina responded, "One hundred percent."

"Director Evanina's expertise in counterintelligence and counterespionage give him a clear understanding of how the CCP operates in the U.S.  His testimony was very concerning, and provided a warning to state and local leaders in Michigan on how the CCP could use the Gotion project to spy on the United States. Once CCP nationals receive a work visa to enter the country, they might have the opportunity to travel freely and do other activities in Michigan, like surveilling airports or military installations. Michigan leaders should heed the warning of Director Evanina and stop the Gotion deal," said Moolenaar, after the hearing.

Evanina lead counterintelligence for the United States as the Director of the NCSC from 2014 to 2021. Prior to his position at the NCSC, he served as the Chief of the CIA Counterespionage Group. 

Transcript of Moolenaar’s Questioning

Congressman John Moolenaar: Mr. Evanina you lead the joint FBI and CIA counter-espionage effort, so you have a lot of experience with what the CCP is trying to do in the U.S. In your written testimony, you say that the CCP use businesspeople, engineers, and other workers for espionage. In my district, the U.S. subsidiary of CCP-affiliated company is planning to build a massive battery component factory. In your view, is it basically a guarantee that some of the people who come from China to work on this project will spy for the CCP? 

Bill Evanina: One hundred percent. So it is a combination, as my fellow witness Mr. Wolfe said, that I think we look at the threat is in the Communist Party of China, not the Chinese people. There will be an effort by the Communist Party of China to infiltrate that capability via cyber, human, and hybrid methods, using businessmen, engineers and what we call the non-traditional collector. They will go over and above to implement their efforts in that particular technology that is in your district.

Moolenaar: How do you feel the State Department does, in terms of, you know, stopping nationals affiliated with the PLA from obtaining work visas, and do we have the resources that we need to vet people?

Evanina: Well, I really don’t know the statistics of the State Departments capabilities, but I will say the Communist Party of China utilizes the visa program effectively and efficiently to get those strategic folks here in our homeland to do that work. And sometimes, oftentimes, lie on their applications whether or not a member of the PLA, to be here studying in the high STEM capabilities. 

Original source can be found here.