National security adviser Jake Sullivan arrives in China for talks on fentanyl, Taiwan and more
NBCAug 15
US House Report: PRC Seaport Cranes Pose National Security Threat
Above: Cranes stand over shipping containers at the Port of Newark on March 26, 2024 as seen from Bayonne, New Jersey. Image copyright: Spencer Platt/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Two US House committees, the Homeland Security Committee and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), have claimed that Chinese-made cargo cranes are equipped with surveillance technology to spy on Americans and attack US infrastructure.
The CCP committee stated that the cranes, which are manufactured by the state-controlled Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (ZPMC), are equipped with "cellular modems" that are "not requested by U.S. ports or included in contracts."
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
China is the greatest threat to America, which is why this committee, with broad bipartisan support from the rest of the House, worked together to pass these bills. As China threatens everything from stealing Americans' biological data and placing surveillance cranes in ports to flying military drones in American airspace, the US government is taking a stand against this adversarial regime.
Pro-China narrative
The only issue upon which Republicans and Democrats can sadly agree is that China should be portrayed as an enemy. As Pres. Joe Biden publicly promises to improve relations with Beijing, his colleagues in both parties are simultaneously holding an entire week's worth of meetings aimed at demonizing China. These political stunts will hurt both the American people and Washington's relationship with Beijing.