Latest news with #HighMobilityArtilleryRocketSystem
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
China targets US military members in overseas spy operations, former CIA station chief warns
A former CIA station chief says China has U.S. military service members and government employees in the "crosshairs" of its overseas spy operations. Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both active-duty Army soldiers, were arrested in early March after allegedly selling "Top Secret" information to individuals based in China, according to the Department of Justice. Zhao and Tian were both indicted by federal grand juries in Washington and Oregon. Federal prosecutors allege Tian sold sensitive military information to former soldier Ruoyu Duan, who would allegedly receive money from individuals residing in China. Tian then allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars for selling the sensitive information. Included in the alleged documents Tian sold was a Google Drive link containing classified documents about the Stryker combat vehicle. Tian also allegedly sent additional sensitive data on U.S. weapons systems. Bombshell Report Suggests 'Chinese Spies' Infiltrating Prestigious Us University: 'Widespread Campaign' Prosecutors said the incidents highlight efforts by China to use "cut-outs," known as people trusted by Chinese intelligence services, to gather sensitive information that could help the Chinese government. Those "cut-outs" then recruit individuals with access to or knowledge of U.S. government information, which includes current and former government officials. Read On The Fox News App According to the court documents, security video showed Tian allegedly brought his personal cellphone into a classified area of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington in May 2024, printed a classified document and left with it. He would allegedly return over three hours later with the document. Prosecutors also alleged that Tian took screenshots of sensitive information on several occasions. In a connected case at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Zhao allegedly sold classified information to an unnamed co-conspirator. According to federal prosecutors, Zhao received at least $15,000 for the documents. Zhao allegedly sold 20 military hard drives to an individual in China, some containing a "Secret" label. Zaho allegedly conspired to sell information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System as well as information related to U.S. military readiness if there was a war with China. "While bribery and corruption have thrived under China's Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information," said FBI Director Kash Patel on the charges. Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital he thinks U.S. military service members as well as government employees are being targeted to take part in these spy operations. Former Us Army Intelligence Analyst Sentenced For Selling Sensitive Documents To Chinese National "I think anybody who serves in the U.S. government is in the crosshairs. And China will do it," Hoffman said. "Sometimes they'll run their recruitment operations posing as someone else. So maybe somebody doesn't want to go spy for China, but they might pretend to be somebody else. Or they might contact you on social media, on LinkedIn or some other site and pose as someone not so nefarious when in fact they are." Hoffman said gaining intel from the U.S. military is one of the Chinese government's "highest requirements." "They want to recruit U.S. military because there's a probability we might go to war with China, and not just U.S. military, but NATO members as well, and throughout Asia. So they've got a massive intelligence apparatus," he said. China isn't just targeting the U.S. military. It's targeting many other aspects of American society as well, including academia. Five former University of Michigan students were charged in October 2024 after they were allegedly caught spying on a National Guard training center for the Chinese government during a training session with the Taiwanese military. The former University of Michigan students were confronted by a Utah National Guard sergeant major in August 2023 near a lake at Camp Grayling in Michigan. Michael Sobolik, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute focusing on U.S. and China relations, told Fox News Digital the Chinese Communist Party "will exercise whatever tactics they feel they need to by hook or crook to get our military secrets," adding China is "shameless." "This is a tactic that China is exercising in the new Cold War that we're locked in with the Chinese Communist Party. And one of the things that is really striking is the low price that a lot of Americans are willing to sell their patriotism for and their allegiance for. Some of these people didn't get that much money to sell some really sensitive military secrets over to the Chinese Communist Party," Sobolik said. Fox News' Michael Dorgan contributed to this article source: China targets US military members in overseas spy operations, former CIA station chief warns
NBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Taiwan looks to U.S. for military support as it builds up defenses against China
PINGTUNG COUNTY, Taiwan — Below a windy lookout, three U.S.-made mobile rocket launchers lurched forward at a military base in Taiwan, preparing for their first live-fire test on the Beijing-claimed island. '3, 2, 1... launch,' a Taiwan military officer counted down over a loudspeaker. A total of 33 rockets were then fired toward the Pacific Ocean, in the opposite direction from the Chinese mainland. Making a thunderous sound, each erupted in bursts of flame and trailed white smoke that arced high into the air. The historic test of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, took place this month at an undisclosed location in Pingtung County, on the southern tip of Taiwan, as Taipei scrambles to overhaul its military and get President Donald Trump 's backing amid growing military threats from China. The rocket system could be crucial if Taiwan ever came under attack from Beijing, which has not ruled out the use of force in annexing the self-governing democracy. Manufactured by U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, HIMARS mobile launchers are equipped with guided rockets that have a range of about 185 miles — far enough to reach coastal targets in the southern Chinese province of Fujian on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. It is the same rocket system that Ukrainian forces have been using to target Russian positions — though unlike Ukraine, Taiwan paid the United States more than $1 billion for the weaponry. The island has received 11 of the 29 HIMARS launchers it has purchased, with the rest expected to arrive ahead of schedule next year. Though the U.S. has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, it is the island's biggest weapons supplier. Billions of dollars in arms deals with the U.S. have helped Taiwan build up asymmetric tools such as drones, missiles and upgraded fighter jets. As China ramps up military and other pressure, Taiwan has also extended compulsory military service to one year from four months, doubled mandatory annual refresher training for reservists to two weeks, and pledged to increase its defense budget to more than 3% of GDP. While the U.S. remains a 'very important' strategic partner, Taipei 'fully recognizes' the need to strengthen its own defense capabilities, said Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense. 'Ensuring Taiwan's security is our responsibility and our top priority,' he said. 'We take this matter very seriously.' But it is difficult for Taiwan to build a modern fighting force, Sun said, in the face of 'inherently disproportionate' threats from China, whose 2.8-million-strong military is more than 18 times larger than Taiwan's number of active-duty personnel. In the year since Taiwan President Lai Ching-te took office, China has held several rounds of large-scale military exercises that Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, warned this month are not drills but 'rehearsals.' The Chinese military also sends warplanes and ships toward Taiwan on near-daily sorties and in recent days held an amphibious landing drill in the Taiwan Strait. To deal with such 'tangible and real' threats, it is 'crucial' that the U.S. and Taiwan continue their military cooperation, Sun said. In addition to HIMARS, the U.S. and Taiwan have advanced their cooperation with an intelligence sharing deal that Sun called a 'game-changer.' 'We typically don't go into detail because intelligence and information sharing are sensitive,' Sun said in his government's first public comments on the subject. 'That said, this kind of intelligence exchange is extremely helpful for us in understanding threats from the enemy and making appropriate defensive deployments.' In congressional testimony this month, a retired U.S. Navy admiral also publicly acknowledged for the first time that there are about 500 U.S. military personnel stationed in Taiwan, more than 10 times the number previously disclosed. Even as it works with the U.S., Taiwan is unsure about the extent of the security commitment from Washington, which has long maintained a policy of 'strategic ambiguity' when it comes to whether U.S. forces would defend the island against a Chinese attack. Further muddling the picture are comments Trump has made about Taiwan, the global leader in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, 'stealing' chip business from the U.S. and not paying enough for its own defense. Officials in Taipei have also been rattled by the collapse of U.S. support for Ukraine as well as the threat of steep tariffs on Taiwan's exports, which Trump has set at 32% in addition to a 10% baseline. 'You have different voices emerging from the United States, so that creates more uncertainties for Taiwanese,' said Andrew Yang, Taiwan's former minister of national defense. 'Which voices or narratives should we listen to?' Reservist Jason Chu, 30, said that among those around him, there was a 'growing' sense of responsibility to defend Taiwan. 'The biggest difference lies in our mindset,' said Chu, an engineer. He said that while many people in Taiwan most likely think of their training as a duty at first, often they later begin to think of it as protecting their country. People in Taiwan have watched with concern as war drags on Ukraine, another democracy targeted by a larger, autocratic neighbor — and some have even gone to join the fight against Russia. Tony Lu went to Ukraine in 2022 first as a volunteer, then as a fighter. He said he thinks people in Taiwan need to be ready. 'No one wants war — I don't want it either,' he said. 'But we don't have a choice.'
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First Post
2 days ago
- Business
- First Post
Trump eyes record weapons sale to Taiwan as China ramps up pressure on the island
If US arms sales to Taiwan do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump's commitment to the island. It would also add new friction to the tense US-China relationship read more The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan. File image/ Reuters The United States plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taipei to a level exceeding President Donald Trump's first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the democratic island, according to two US officials. If US arms sales to Taiwan do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump's commitment to the island. It would also add new friction to the tense US-China relationship. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expect US approvals for weapons sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump's first term, with one of the officials saying arms sales notifications to Taiwan could 'easily exceed' that earlier period. They also said the United States is pressing members of Taiwan's opposition parties not to oppose the government's efforts to increase defence spending to 3% of the island's budget. The first Trump administration approved sales of approximately $18.3 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, compared with around $8.4 billion during Joe Biden's term, according to Reuters calculations. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei. Even so, many in Taiwan, which China claims as its own, worry that Trump may not be as committed to the island as past US presidents. On the election campaign trail, Trump suggested Taiwan should pay to be protected and also accused the island of stealing American semiconductor business, causing alarm in Taipei. China has vowed to 'reunify' with the separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US officials said administration officials and Trump himself were committed to 'enhancing hard deterrence' for Taiwan. 'That's where the president is. That's where all of us are,' one US official said, adding that they were working closely with Taiwan on an arms procurement package to be rolled out when Taiwan secured domestic funding. Taiwan's Presidential Office told Reuters the government is determined to strengthen its self-defence capabilities and pointed to its proposals to increase defence spending. 'Taiwan aims to enhance military deterrence while continuing to deepen its security cooperation with the United States,' Presidential Office spokesperson Wen Lii said. Taiwan's defence ministry declined to comment on any new arms sales, but reiterated previous remarks by the island's defence minister, Wellington Koo, about the importance of 'solidarity and cooperation of democratic allies.' 'Don't get in the way' Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) aim to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP this year through a special defence budget. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But the island's parliament, controlled by opposition parties the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), passed budget cuts earlier this year that threatened to hit defence spending. That triggered concerns in Washington, where officials and lawmakers have regularly said the US cannot show more urgency over Taiwan's defence than the island itself. 'We're messaging pretty hard (in Taipei) to the opposition. Don't get in the way of this. This isn't a Taiwanese partisan question. This is a Taiwanese survival question,' one of the US officials told Reuters. Three people in Taiwan with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that the US government and US congressional visitors have been pressing the opposition parties in Taiwan not to block defence spending, especially the coming special defence budget, which is expected to be proposed to parliament later this year. 'As long as they knew there were people from the opposition in the room, they directly asked them not to cut the defence budget,' one of the people said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Alexander Huang, director of the KMT's international department, told Reuters it was 'beyond question' that the party firmly supports increasing the defence budget and its 'doors are open' to the US government and the ruling DPP for consultations. 'Supporting an increased budget does not mean serving as a rubber stamp, nor does it preclude making adjustments or engaging in negotiations regarding the special budget proposals put forth by the DPP administration,' he added. The much smaller TPP said it has 'always had smooth communication with the US side and has continued to engage in in-depth dialogue on issues such as national defence and regional security.' Reuters reported in February that Taiwan was exploring a multi-billion dollar arms purchase from the US, hoping to win support from the new Trump administration. New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones, cost-effective means to help improve Taiwan's chances of rebuffing any military action by China's much larger forces. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For years, China has been steadily ramping up its military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the island that is home to critical chip manufacturing vital to the global economy. Separately, one of the US officials said the Trump administration would not object to a transit this year through US territory by Lai, whom Beijing labels a 'separatist.' Past visits to the United States by Taiwanese officials have triggered angry objections by China, which sees such trips as inappropriate given that the United States has diplomatic relations with Beijing, not Taipei. Taiwan's presidential office spokesperson Lii said there are currently 'no plans for a presidential transit through the United States at the moment.'
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Trump aims to exceed first term's weapons sales to Taiwan, officials say
FILE PHOTO: Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visits Republic of China Military Academy, an officer training academy, for its 100th anniversary celebrations in Kaohsiung, Taiwan June 16, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo FILE PHOTO: The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at the Jiupeng base in Pingtung, Taiwan May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo WASHINGTON/TAIPEI - The United States plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taipei to a level exceeding President Donald Trump's first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the democratic island, according to two U.S. officials. If U.S. arms sales to Taiwan do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump's commitment to the island. It would also add new friction to the tense U.S.-China relationship. The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they expect U.S. approvals for weapons sales to Taipei over the next four years to surpass those in Trump's first term, with one of the officials saying arms sales notifications to Taiwan could "easily exceed" that earlier period. They also said the United States is pressing members of Taiwan's opposition parties not to oppose the government's efforts to increase defense spending to 3% of the island's budget. The first Trump administration approved sales of approximately $18.3 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, compared with around $8.4 billion during Joe Biden's term, according to Reuters calculations. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei. Even so, many in Taiwan, which China claims as its own, worry that Trump may not be as committed to the island as past U.S. presidents. On the election campaign trail, Trump suggested Taiwan should pay to be protected and also accused the island of stealing American semiconductor business, causing alarm in Taipei. China has vowed to "reunify" with the separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. The U.S. officials said administration officials and Trump himself were committed to "enhancing hard deterrence" for Taiwan. "That's where the president is. That's where all of us are," one U.S. official said, adding that they were working closely with Taiwan on an arms procurement package to be rolled out when Taiwan secured domestic funding. Taiwan's Presidential Office told Reuters the government is determined to strengthen its self-defense capabilities and pointed to its proposals to increase defense spending. "Taiwan aims to enhance military deterrence while continuing to deepen its security cooperation with the United States," Presidential Office spokesperson Wen Lii said. Taiwan's defense ministry declined to comment on any new arms sales, but reiterated previous remarks by the island's defense minister, Wellington Koo, about the importance of "solidarity and cooperation of democratic allies." 'DON'T GET IN THE WAY' Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) aim to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP this year through a special defense budget. But the island's parliament, controlled by opposition parties the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), passed budget cuts earlier this year that threatened to hit defense spending. That triggered concerns in Washington, where officials and lawmakers have regularly said the U.S. cannot show more urgency over Taiwan's defense than the island itself. "We're messaging pretty hard (in Taipei) to the opposition. Don't get in the way of this. This isn't a Taiwanese partisan question. This is a Taiwanese survival question," one of the U.S. officials told Reuters. Three people in Taiwan with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that the U.S. government and U.S. congressional visitors have been pressing the opposition parties in Taiwan not to block defense spending, especially the coming special defense budget, which is expected to be proposed to parliament later this year. "As long as they knew there were people from the opposition in the room, they directly asked them not to cut the defense budget," one of the people said. Alexander Huang, director of the KMT's international department, told Reuters it was "beyond question" that the party firmly supports increasing the defense budget and its "doors are open" to the U.S. government and the ruling DPP for consultations. "Supporting an increased budget does not mean serving as a rubber stamp, nor does it preclude making adjustments or engaging in negotiations regarding the special budget proposals put forth by the DPP administration," he added. The much smaller TPP said it has "always had smooth communication with the U.S. side and has continued to engage in in-depth dialogue on issues such as national defense and regional security." Reuters reported in February that Taiwan was exploring a multi-billion dollar arms purchase from the U.S., hoping to win support from the new Trump administration. New weapons packages are expected to focus on missiles, munitions and drones, cost-effective means to help improve Taiwan's chances of rebuffing any military action by China's much larger forces. For years, China has been steadily ramping up its military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the island that is home to critical chip manufacturing vital to the global economy. Separately, one of the U.S. officials said the Trump administration would not object to a transit this year through U.S. territory by Lai, whom Beijing labels a "separatist." Past visits to the United States by Taiwanese officials have triggered angry objections by China, which sees such trips as inappropriate given that the United States has diplomatic relations with Beijing, not Taipei. Taiwan's presidential office spokesperson Lii said there are currently "no plans for a presidential transit through the United States at the moment." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Newsweek
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
HIMARS Unleashed in Taiwan as China Watches On
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Taiwan, a self-ruled island under China's threat of force, conducted its first live-fire exercise with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) supplied by the United States. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters Communist China has claimed that Taiwan is an "inalienable part" of its territory, while its leader, President Xi Jinping, has vowed that China will "never promise to renounce the use of force" against the sovereign democracy, a U.S. security partner in the Indo-Pacific region. The U.S. has maintained an unofficial relationship with Taiwan, after establishing diplomatic ties with China in 1979. Washington has also continued to supply "defensive weapons" to Taipei under the Taiwan Relations Act, making it the island's largest source of foreign arms. What To Know The Taiwanese military on Monday conducted a live-fire drill at Jiupeng Base in southern Pingtung County, marking the debut of the HIMARS on the island and demonstrating its "rapid deployment and next-generation strike capabilities," Taipei's defense ministry said. Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that 11 HIMARS launchers participated in the drill, each firing three rockets. Taiwan ordered a total of 29 launchers from the U.S., with the first 11 delivered last year and the remaining scheduled for delivery next year, the report added. According to U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, each HIMARS launcher can fire two types of munitions: either six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets or a single ATACMS ballistic missile, formally known as the Army Tactical Missile System. The GMLRS rocket, armed with a 200-pound warhead, has a range of over 43 miles, while the ATACMS missile can strike targets up to 186 miles away with a 500-pound warhead. The HIMARS, which has proven its effectiveness in Ukraine's war against Russia, could be deployed to target Fujian—a Chinese province facing Taiwan—in the event of a conflict across the 110-mile-wide Taiwan Strait, a strategic waterway separating China and Taiwan. The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at Jiupeng Base in Pingtung County on May 12, 2025. The Taiwanese military conducts its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) live-fire test launch at Jiupeng Base in Pingtung County on May 12, 2025. I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images Citing Taiwanese Army Colonel Ho Chih-chung, who is the deputy commander of the 58th Artillery Command, Lockheed Martin has also dispatched its personnel to Jiupeng Base to assist with technical issues during the live-fire exercise, the Central News Agency reported. What People Are Saying The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said: "[Taiwan] will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defense. Acquisition of HIMARS will contribute to [Taiwan's] goal of updating its military capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies." The Chinese Defense Ministry said: "We urge the U.S. side to ... immediately stop arming Taiwan ... Several pieces of U.S. weaponry won't be the magic straw that can save a drowning man; they are nothing but easy targets on the battlefields." Lockheed Martin said: "Adversaries around the globe are becoming more sophisticated ... The Lockheed Martin HIMARS is a strategic capability, improving homeland and important asset defense while reducing overall mission costs." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether Taiwan will place additional orders for HIMARS, as the U.S. had suggested the island increase its defense spending to help deter a Chinese attack.
