US intelligence chiefs have held a series of classified briefings with American companies and other groups to warn them of the dangers of doing business in China, a further sign of Washington’s increasingly hawkish stance towards trade between the two countries.
Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, and colleagues from the FBI and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, have given several briefings to large technology groups, venture capitalists and educational institutions. The meetings are still taking place, with more in the works.
According to those who have attended, the sessions are designed to highlight the risks of trade with China — especially the threat of cyber attacks and intellectual property theft. The briefings have been held across the country, including in Silicon Valley and Washington, and have focused on the technology industry.