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CCP Infiltration in Virginia: Expert Warns of Growing National Security Risks

China expert He Bin recently warned at a Virginia community event that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) infiltration of Virginia is a serious national security concern. Given Virginia’s proximity to Washington, D.C., its role as home to the Pentagon, the CIA, the world’s largest naval base (Norfolk), and the only U.S. shipyard that builds nuclear carriers and submarines, CCP influence poses unique risks.

He outlined multiple examples of CCP penetration in Virginia, including:

  1. Media Control: Beijing secretly funded pro-CCP broadcasts on WCRW/WTSD radio (2011–2023).
  2. Corporate Takeover: China’s WH Group’s $4.7B acquisition of Smithfield Foods, giving China control over 25 percent of U.S. pork production and farmland.
  3. Confucius Institutes: They operated at George Mason University, William & Mary, and Old Dominion University. They have been criticized for undermining academic freedom.
  4. Education Infiltration: Thomas Jefferson High School, one of the best high schools in the U.S., received $3.6M from CCP-linked sources, raising IP transfer concerns.
  5. Chinese Student & Scholar Associations (CSSA): They strengthened surveillance and ideological influence over Chinese students.
  6. Virginia Tech: The university collaborated with Xi’an Electronic Science and Technology University, linked to China’s military.
  7. IP Theft: A Chinese researcher at UVA was charged with stealing trade secrets (case later dropped).
  8. Telecom Threats: China Telecom’s U.S. subsidiary, based in Herndon, was shut down by FCC over national security risks.
  9. NGOs: The Nature Conservancy in Arlington ran CCP-linked projects funded partly by U.S. government grants and Chinese firms.
  10. Port Security: Over 30 Chinese-made cranes at Hampton Roads port raised Pentagon concerns about surveillance.
  11. Espionage Cases: Chinese nationals and local residents in Virginia were prosecuted for spying or leaking defense secrets, including at Newport News Shipyard, the State Department, and even the Federal Reserve.

Source: Epoch Times, August 29, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/28/n14583195.htm

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