U.S. officials accuse COSCO of using ships to monitor military communications, China denies
Quick Look
- Senior U.S. government officials said COSCO uses shipboard equipment to monitor targets, including the United States, and collect military communications near other countries' coastlines.
- The COSCO Group has had decades of intelligence cooperation with Beijing, allowing it to collect communications signals from ships and aircraft in Europe, North America and Asia.
- Cosco and the Chinese Embassy in Washington have denied espionage and said the equipment was used only for legitimate business purposes.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
COSCO Group is one of China's largest shipping companies and has long been involved in global logistics and port operations. The United States accuses it of using commercial ships to collect intelligence. If true, it will violate international law and national sovereignty. China has always opposed such accusations and stressed that companies abide by local laws.
(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Reuters reported on Tuesday (September 1), citing two senior US government officials, that COSCO Group uses shipboard equipment to monitor targets including the United States and collect military communications information near the coastlines of other countries.
The two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Cosco has a decades-long intelligence-gathering partnership with Beijing that allows it to collect communications signals from ships and aircraft in Europe, North America and Asia.
"COSCO Shipping Group has always adhered to a market-oriented operating model and adhered to compliance principles in all global operations," COSCO said in a statement.
The statement also noted that "all communications, navigation, security and operational equipment installed on our ships are used solely for navigational safety, ship-to-shore communications and emergency response and are for legitimate commercial purposes." There is no equipment on the ship used to intercept military communications or collect intelligence.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington has also previously stated that Beijing will never ask any company or individual to "violate local laws and collect or provide any data, information or intelligence located outside the country."
What is noteworthy is the timing at which U.S. officials disclosed the COSCO incident: Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington on September 24 to hold talks with U.S. President Trump. However, this date has not yet been officially confirmed by Beijing. It is generally believed that the summit will focus on a series of sensitive issues involving security and trade.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The United States will launch a formal investigation into COSCO Group
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific evidence are U.S. officials relying on?
- Are monitoring devices really installed on COSCO Group ships?
- Will this accusation affect Xi Jinping's visit to the United States?
- Will China make a formal diplomatic protest over this matter?
