US-China espionage tensions
China's commerce ministry accused the US of "gangster logic of hegemony" after CIA deputy director Michael Ellis said in a rare public speech that Chinese companies in AI, semiconductors and biotechnology were "legitimate targets" for US espionage; Beijing called on Washington to "stop all" spying activities, framing technological competition as ordinary commercial activity. Days later, asked aboard Air Force One about a Wall Street Journal report that Chinese entities had supplied Iran with high-resolution satellite imagery of a Jordanian US air base before Iran's deadly July 17 missile strike there (which killed three American troops), President Trump did not dispute the espionage dynamic, saying "China spies on us... and we spy on them, too" and that China had "behaved reasonably well." US officials described the satellite-imagery link as the clearest evidence yet that Chinese support for Iran during its war with the US and Israel had directly cost American lives, though they stopped short of accusing Beijing of direct involvement.
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As it ran
14 September 2026
- Trump says China spies on US amid bombshell report on Iran’s deadly strike Fox News
- Trump weighs in on China spying following report on deadly Iran strike Fox News
- China’s Top Spy Chief Warns A.I. Is a Threat to Party Rule New York Times
- China’s Top Spy Chief Warns Artificial Intelligence Is a Threat to Party Rule New York Times
- German intelligence report warns of rising Chinese, Russian spy threat South China Morning Post
13 September 2026
- China urges US to ‘stop all’ spying activities, slams ‘gangster logic’ South China Morning Post