Forwarded from He Qinglian: Chinese intelligence unit

[Saul Thomas <stthomas@uchicago.edu>]

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040102-120037-5274r.htm

Inside the Ring

By Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough


January 2, 2004

Notes from the Pentagon

Chinese influence unit

U.S. officials tell us the Chinese government has expanded a special 
section within the embassy in Washington that is in charge of running 
influence operations, primarily targeted at Congress.

The office is headed by Su Ge, a Chinese government scholar who wrote a 
book on U.S. relations that was required reading for Chinese officials 
involved in American affairs during the presidency of Jiang Zemin.

Mr. Su's operation now has some 26 political officers working to influence 
Congress and the Bush administration. Mr. Su has a doctorate from Brigham 
Young University and another degree from Harvard.

Mr. Su, formerly of the government-run China Institute of International 
Studies, told a reporter in 1999, "We have ambitions to become a midsized, 
regional superpower, nothing else," reflecting the Chinese government's 
effort to play down China's growing military power.

His appointment, made by former Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Li 
Zhaoxing, the current foreign minister, is unusual because China's leaders 
generally view U.S.-educated officials with suspicion, fearing they could 
be spies or sympathizers who lack sufficient communist zeal.

One recent Chinese influence effort was an e-mail sent Dec. 26 to selected 
staff members of Congress. The e-mail contained a National Review article 
by Ross Munro, a China scholar who in the past was critical of China. The 
article in the conservative journal was critical of Chen Shui-bian, the 
president of the Republic of China (Taiwan), for provoking China - a view 
that coincides with Beijing's criticism of the island leader.

The e-mail was sent from Chinese Embassy official Niu Qingbao, who works in 
the section under Mr. Su.

...


"  Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough are Pentagon reporters. Gertz can be 
reached at 202/636-3274 or by e-mail at bgertz@washingtontimes.com. 
Scarborough can be reached at 202/636-3208 or by e-mail at 
rscarborough@washingtontimes.com.