Concerns about possible espionage activity have been raised by the discovery of dubious communication devices implanted in cargo cranes manufactured in China that are often used at ports in the United States.
The inquiry, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, reveals that certain cranes produced by state-owned Chinese company Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), are equipped with cellular modems that could serve as a backdoor for remote access. These modems, discovered by a congressional investigation, do not appear to support the standard operations of the equipment. (Related: Chinese nationals being let into U.S. via Biden’s pathetic open borders policies, raising new fears of espionage.)
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, a Tennessee Republican, expressed concerns to the Journal, emphasizing that the Chinese government seems to be actively seeking opportunities to gather valuable intelligence and exploit vulnerabilities within America's critical infrastructure. He noted that the U.S. has overlooked this threat for too long.
President Joe Biden's administration recently announced a $20 billion investment to construct more domestically produced ship-to-shore cranes, citing spying concerns.
Biden's executive order grants the U.S. Coast Guard expanded powers to issue basic cybersecurity requirements for transportation vessels and ports, addressing fears of potential Chinese cyber threats targeting American infrastructure, especially amid concerns related to a potential invasion of Taiwan.
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Anne Neuberger, the U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber and Emerging Technology, highlighted the strategic risk posed by ship-to-shore cranes, emphasizing the potential impact on the economy and military movements if they were compromised in a cyberattack.
The focus extends to Chinese-made cranes at U.S. ports, where Coast Guard cyber experts have conducted security assessments on less than half of them.
Biden's investment prioritizes the construction of American-built cranes over the next five years, redirecting funds from the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.
The cranes will be produced by a U.S. subsidiary of Japanese company Mitsui, marking the first time in three decades that such cranes will be domestically manufactured.
Rear Adm. John Vann, who leads the Coast Guard cyber command, expressed concerns about the potential exploitation of Chinese-made cranes, emphasizing the need for new standards to address security risks.
As top-ranking American officials, including Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, have consistently warned of threats posed by Chinese hackers infiltrating critical infrastructure, the nation remains vigilant against potential attacks targeting the power grid, oil pipelines, and water systems in the event of armed conflict.
The nationwide significance of ports, employing around 31 million people and contributing $5.4 trillion to the economy, underscores the need for heightened cybersecurity measures.
China dismisses the notion of "spy cranes" as "overly paranoid"
In response, China's foreign ministry rejected a report that suggested U.S. officials were concerned about the potential espionage capabilities of massive Chinese-made cargo container cranes at American ports.
China's foreign ministry dismissed the notion of "spy cranes" as "overly paranoid" and accused it of misleading the U.S. public. The ministry labeled the report as an attempt to disrupt the extensive commerce between the two nations.
However, Bill Evanina, a former senior U.S. counterintelligence official, told the Journal that the high-tech cargo cranes could pose a "perfect combination of legitimate business that can also masquerade as clandestine intelligence collection."
Amid the back-and-forth accusations, China's National People's Congress, the largest rubber-stamp parliament globally, convened in Beijing.
Nearly 3,000 delegates gathered to formalize President Xi Jinping's priorities for the country, particularly focused on economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Li Keqiang set a development target of around five percent economic growth for the year.
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