Spies, Sanctions, Cyberattacks: China and the U.S. Clash Behind the Scenes
nytimes.com/2026/05/14/us/po…
Chinese Spying in America
China’s technological rise is not driven by innovation alone. It has been accelerated by one of the world’s largest and most persistent campaigns of intellectual property theft, cyber espionage, and illegal technology acquisition.
Artificial intelligence is only the latest battleground. China rapidly produced DeepSeek after the arrival of ChatGPT and is racing to replicate other cutting-edge American AI systems including American Claude Mythos. While China has many talented scientists and engineers, it also benefits from an extraordinary ability to acquire foreign technology at a fraction of the time and cost required to develop it independently, which may or may not succeed.
The pattern extends far beyond AI. The striking similarities between America’s F-35 stealth fighter and China’s J-35 have long fueled allegations that sensitive technology was stolen. Similar accusations have surrounded advanced missiles, semiconductors, telecommunications, aerospace, and defence systems. Western intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned that China employs cyberattacks, industrial espionage, insider recruitment, and academic partnerships to obtain technologies that would otherwise take years to develop.
The targets are extensive: communications networks, power grids, water systems, universities, medical research, defence contractors, military laboratories, and high-tech companies. Virtually every sector that drives America’s economic and military strength is viewed as a potential source of valuable intelligence.
The FBI and U.S. cybersecurity agencies have exposed numerous Chinese espionage networks and prosecuted offenders. Yet these successes barely scratch the surface. The theft continues because the rewards far outweigh the risks.
Once stolen, the information is analysed, refined, and rapidly integrated into Chinese research, industry, and military programs. Years of costly American research can be compressed into months, allowing China to narrow the technological gap without paying the full price of innovation.
The United States and its allies are finally pushing back, but they have reacted far too slowly. Every breakthrough that escapes through espionage weakens Western competitiveness and strengthens China’s strategic position.
The real contest between America and China is no longer just about who invents first. It is about who can better protect whatever new is invented.