China recruiting scientists out of Los Alamos

Sep 23, 2022

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor/Investigative Reporter)

The Chinese government knows a great deal about some of the projects being studied at Los Alamos, the foremost national security laboratory in the United States. The Chinese government doesn’t know these things because of spies. No, China just hired the scientists working on the projects and offered more money.

Los Alamos, in New Mexico, is where the nuclear bomb was developed. It’s one of the largest science and technology institutions in the world, conducting research on things like space exploration, national security and nanotechnology. An intelligence report by Strider Technologies shows at least 154 Chinese scientists who worked at Los Alamos over the last two decades were recruited to return to China and do scientific work there.

According to Strider, American-trained Chinese scientists helped the communist country develop deep-earth-penetrating warheads, hypersonic missiles, quiet submarines and drones. The scientists were recruited as part of a Chinese talent program, where Chinese scientists in a number of fields are encouraged to return to their home country for the promise of better wages or positions.

The Strider report focused on Los Alamos, but it’s not the only facility from which China recruits.

U.S. officials said most Chinese scientists who come to the states stay. Moreover, there is no denying the U.S. has benefitted from Chinese-born scientists working in its research programs. But with tensions mounting between the U.S. and China, a growing number of elected representatives and intelligence officials are saying the national security threat posed by Chinese scientists working on U.S. defense projects cannot be ignored.

Tags: China, National Security

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT KNOWS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS BEING STUDIED AT LOS ALAMOS–THE FOREMOST NATIONAL SECURITY LABORATORY IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T KNOW THESE THINGS BECAUSE OF SPIES. NO, CHINA JUST OFFERED MORE MONEY AND HIRED THE SCIENTISTS WORKING ON THE PROJECTS.

LOS ALAMOS, IN NEW MEXICO, IS WHERE THE NUCLEAR BOMB WAS DEVELOPED.

IT’S ONE OF THE LARGEST SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTIONS IN THE WORLD, CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON THINGS LIKE SPACE EXPLORATION, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND NANOTECHNOLOGY.

AN INTELLIGENCE REPORT BY STRIDER TECHNOLOGIES SHOWS AT LEAST 154 CHINESE SCIENTISTS WHO WORKED AT LOS ALAMOS OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES WERE RECRUITED TO RETURN TO CHINA AND DO SCIENTIFIC WORK THERE.

ACCORDING TO STRIDER, AMERICAN-TRAINED CHINESE SCIENTISTS HELPED THE COMMUNIST COUNTRY DEVELOP DEEP-EARTH-PENETRATING WARHEADS, HYPERSONIC MISSILES, QUIET SUBMARINES AND DRONES.

THE SCIENTISTS WERE RECRUITED AS PART OF A CHINESE TALENT PROGRAM, WHERE CHINESE SCIENTISTS IN A NUMBER OF FIELDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY FOR THE PROMISE OF BETTER WAGES OR POSITIONS.

THE STRIDER REPORT FOCUSES ON LOS ALAMOS, BUT IT’S NOT THE ONLY FACILITY FROM WHICH CHINA RECRUITS.

U.S. OFFICIALS SAY MOST CHINESE SCIENTISTS WHO COME TO THE STATES STAY. MOREOVER, THERE IS NO DENYING THE U.S. HAS BENEFITTED FROM CHINESE-BORN SCIENTISTS WORKING IN ITS RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

BUT WITH TENSIONS MOUNTING BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA, A GROWING NUMBER OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS ARE SAYING THE NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT POSED BY CHINESE SCIENTISTS WORKING ON U.S. DEFENSE PROJECTS CANNOT BE IGNORED.