Classes from Taiwan’s protection planning reveal critical vulnerabilities in U.S. homeland safety, notably the chance that Beijing may activate sleeper cells composed of gangsters already inside the US.
Annually, Taiwan conducts the Han Kuang army workout routines, a nationwide protection drill by which the army, public servants, civilians, and even schoolchildren take part in simulated responses to a Chinese language invasion.
These situations are drawn from ongoing assessments of the Folks’s Liberation Military (PLA) and up to date Chinese language army exercise, utilizing U.S.-designed simulation software program that fashions invasion methods based mostly on present PLA traits.
These workout routines take a look at Taiwan’s preparedness towards a variety of threats far past a traditional army assault. Eventualities embrace cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, disinformation campaigns geared toward undermining public morale, naval blockades to cripple the economic system, and amphibious assaults concentrating on key ports and airports.
The U.S. intelligence group and Division of Protection monitor these workout routines and use the data to evaluate how a Chinese attack may unfold, taking steps to deter or counter such techniques.
Nevertheless, one state of affairs emphasised in Taiwan’s planning stays largely missed in the US: the potential presence of a Chinese language fifth column.
This refers to sleeper brokers, sympathizers, or covert operatives already contained in the nation who may activate pre-positioned property and conduct sabotage operations concentrating on energy grids, telecom networks, and transportation infrastructure, severely undermining nationwide protection and inside stability.
Taiwan’s tv sequence Zero Day dramatizes the Han Kuang workout routines, portraying a state of affairs by which Chinese language operatives and native collaborators orchestrate jail breaks.
The launched convicts, together with armed fifth columnists and gang members, unleash chaos by blocking roads and disrupting civil order. Primarily based on actual intelligence assessments, the present highlights how Chinese language legal networks already inside a rustic may tip the stability in a future invasion.
Chinese language legal networks are firmly established in the US. These organizations embrace conventional triads such because the 14K Triad, led by Wan Kuok Koi, “Damaged Tooth,” a key determine in international organized crime.
Whereas the 14K dominates meth trafficking within the Asia-Pacific, it additionally exemplifies a legal enterprise offering providers to the Chinese language authorities.
Different main networks embrace Solar Yee On, Wo Shing Wo, and Tongs just like the Fuk Ching and Flying Dragons.
Extra actors embrace Snakehead smugglers concerned in human trafficking, the Fujian Gang, the Cantonese Mafia, and diaspora gangs with mainland hyperlinks that function by means of enterprise fronts and pupil associations.
Chinese language organized crime in America operates by means of a free however disciplined confederation overseen from New York by mafias rooted in southern China, based on U.S. officers.
Generally known as “triads” after historic secret society emblems, these teams wield affect each inside China and throughout the diaspora, and are believed to keep up ties to the Chinese language Communist Social gathering.
The coordination is in depth. In 2019, the DEA found that triad bosses had traveled from China to New York for sit-downs to subject directives and dealer peace amongst factions. New York had turn out to be a command hub for narcotics and cash laundering.
Much more regarding is the documented connection between Chinese language organized crime and state intelligence providers. Beijing has constructed a broad surveillance community on U.S. soil.
Between 2016 and 2022, 4 Chinese language public safety bureaus reportedly established 102 abroad police service stations throughout 53 nations.
Within the U.S., these stations have been recognized in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and San Francisco, in addition to in smaller communities in Nebraska and Minnesota.
Within the occasion of a battle, Beijing may activate Chinese language legal networks to advance broader strategic targets.
These teams, with technical experience and ties to the Chinese language authorities, are well-positioned to assist each cyber and bodily operations.
Chinese language cybercriminals—early adopters of synthetic intelligence—may help state-sponsored assaults concentrating on ports, railways, airports, 5G infrastructure, fiber-optic strains, energy grids, vitality amenities, and water remedy vegetation.
U.S. companies together with CISA, the NSA, and the FBI have already warned that PRC cyber actors are pre-positioning themselves inside American IT networks in preparation for potential assaults.
On the bottom, these networks may perform arson, sabotage, low-tech IED assaults, and exploit protests to incite unrest or goal authorities buildings utilizing insider data.
They might even conduct assassinations of key officers to destabilize management. Past bodily violence, they may unfold panic by means of coordinated disinformation campaigns on social media, intimidate Chinese language-American communities, and goal Taiwanese-American and pro-democracy activists.
These networks are additionally able to smuggling weapons, drones, and surveillance gear into the U.S., defending deep-cover operatives, facilitating spy exfiltration, and transferring property to assist intelligence operations.
The Chinese language Communist Social gathering has a documented historical past of leveraging legal organizations for political ends. U.S. safety officers ought to look ahead to key warning indicators: sudden CCP-linked investments in U.S. companies which will function fronts, gang exercise close to strategic infrastructure, elevated recruitment of Chinese language nationals into delicate roles, unexplained relocations to key areas, and suspicious firearms exercise—corresponding to bulk purchases, straw consumers, or acquisition of specialised weapons by people with expired visas or unclear authorized standing.
Whereas President Trump works to safe the U.S. border and ICE continues deporting unlawful aliens, DHS and the FBI should additionally prioritize figuring out, arresting, and prosecuting, or deporting, Chinese language nationals concerned in organized crime.
Underneath China’s Nationwide Intelligence Legislation, all Chinese language residents could be compelled to behave on Beijing’s behalf. Any particular person linked to those networks may function an agent of the Chinese language state, posing a critical risk to U.S. nationwide safety.
