In recent years, individuals from China, at times disguising themselves as tourists, have gained unauthorized access to U.S. military bases and other sensitive locations on as many as 100 occasions, as per U.S. officials.

These occurrences are viewed by officials as a potential espionage threat, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

To address this issue, the Defense Department, FBI, and various other agencies conducted a comprehensive review last year in an attempt to mitigate these incidents.

Officials have coined these individuals “gate-crashers” due to their efforts, whether intentional or accidental, to breach U.S. military bases and other installations without proper authorization.

These incidents range from instances of Chinese nationals crossing into U.S. missile ranges in New Mexico to seemingly disguised scuba divers observed in murky waters near a U.S. government rocket-launch facility in Florida.

U.S. officials regard these occurrences as a form of espionage, with the intention to assess the security protocols in place at U.S. military facilities and other federal premises.

Sources familiar with this practice indicate that the individuals involved are typically Chinese nationals who are compelled to serve and are required to relay information back to the Chinese government.

Written by staff