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GuardianJUN 3 2024
China Resident Pleads Guilty to Stealing Tesla Trade Secrets
Image copyright: Zhe Ji/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
By pleading guilty to this espionage conspiracy, Pflugbeil has exposed that Beijing is deliberately working against the US. After all, it's no coincidence that, yet again, an individual linked to the Chinese Communist Party has threatened America's economic interests and national security.
Pro-China narrative
That this case would prompt another round of smears against China is no surprise, but that doesn't make it less outrageous. Intellectual property protection in key areas, including to safeguard trade secrets, has been strengthened in the country — and Pflugbeil isn't even a Chinese national.