Two U.S. Navy Sailors Arrested for Passing Sensitive National Security Material to China
WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Two active-duty members of the U.S. Navy have been arrested on charges of handing over sensitive national security material to China, according to U.S. officials on Thursday.
Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen revealed during a press conference in San Diego that the two Navy sailors have been accused of passing secrets to Beijing. Olsen emphasized that their actions resulted in “sensitive military info ending up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China.”
The arrest comes at a time when U.S.-China relations have been strained for years due to various national security and trade issues. The United States has repeatedly accused China of engaging in espionage and cyberattacks, allegations that Beijing has consistently denied. China has also claimed to be under threat from foreign spies.
In addition to the espionage concerns, there are several other contentious topics in U.S.-China ties. These include U.S. export bans on advanced technologies, China’s state-led industrial policies, human rights issues, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, trade tariffs, and the status of Taiwan.
The identities of the arrested sailors have not been disclosed, and further details regarding the nature of the sensitive information they allegedly shared with China have not been made public.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter, Alison Williams, and Jonathan Oatis
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
How could this incident impact the already strained U.S.-China relations, particularly in terms of national security and trade issues
Title: Two U.S. Navy Sailors Arrested for Passing Sensitive National Security Material to China
Two members of the U.S. Navy have been arrested on charges of handing over sensitive national security material to China, according to U.S. officials on Thursday.
During a press conference in San Diego, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen disclosed that the two Navy sailors are accused of sharing secrets with Beijing. Olsen emphasized that their actions resulted in “sensitive military info ending up in the hands of the People’s Republic of China.”
This arrest comes at a time when U.S.-China relations are already strained due to national security and trade issues. The United States has repeatedly accused China of engaging in espionage and cyberattacks, which Beijing has consistently denied. China, on the other hand, claims to be under threat from foreign spies.
Aside from espionage concerns, there are several other contentious topics in U.S.-China ties. These include U.S. export bans on advanced technologies, China’s state-led industrial policies, human rights issues, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, trade tariffs, and the status of Taiwan.
The identities of the arrested sailors have not been disclosed, and further details regarding the nature of the sensitive information they allegedly shared with China have not been made public.
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter, Alison Williams, and Jonathan Oatis
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
