China stepping-up efforts to influence President-elect Biden's administration: US Official

A top US intelligence official has warned against an increase in China's efforts to influence incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden. William Evanina, from US Office of Director of National Intelligence, said that China would w redirect its influence campaigns to new administration, adding Chinese were also focusing on people close to Biden and those close to officials in his new administration. 

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"We've also seen an uptick, which was planned and we predicted, that China would w re-vector ir influence campaigns to new administration," William said at 2020 Aspen Cyber Summit on December 2, which he attended virtually. William said that y had already predicted planned influence campaigns by China, and are working on preparing new administration on "what it looks like, what it tastes like, what it feels like when you see it". 

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China influence

This comes following reports of alleged Chinese meddling in recently-concluded US elections, which saw both candidates shower accusations at each or of being Beijing's stooge. While Trump accused his rival's son Hunter Biden of operating illegitimate businesses in China, Biden called out president for having a Chinese Bank account. United States intelligence community had warned prior to election that China is trying hard to influence election result. US has also accused China of trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research by targeting American firms since beginning of outbreak. 

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During Summit, a justice department official said that ever since United States began investigating Chinese researchers for alleged intellectual property ft, more than 1,000 Chinese nationals suspected of hiding ir true identity have left country. John Demers, chief of justice department's national security division, said that hundreds of Chinese researchers have been identified by US investigators for having connections with People's Liberation Army (PLA) and deliberately hiding it from immigration officials.  

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