China’s honey trap is a weapon of mass destructon right here in California

The opinion article argues that China uses romantic entrapment, coercion and recruitment to obtain sensitive information and influence people in California and across the United States. Its author, a former FBI counterintelligence agent, says China’s intelligence efforts have grown substantially and exploit vulnerabilities in an open society.

The piece cites the cases of Katrina Leung, who obtained classified information through relationships with two FBI supervisors, and engineers Chi Mak and Dongfan Chung, who passed sensitive information to China. It also points to alleged political influence, threats against relatives in China and access to university research as methods of espionage. The author claims Mak’s disclosures helped China advance its navy by 20 to 30 years.