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How China Is Burrowing Into U.S. Critical Infrastructure with China Expert Nick Eftimiades
Exclusive: Coveron discount: https://coveron.com/rhpod or use the code "rhpod" at checkout.
AND, for some great new gum, go to buylarine.com/restricted for up to 50% off (and you can help the show while you do it!)
China is not just stealing secrets, Nick Eftimiades argues it is quietly positioning itself inside the systems America depends on. Nick spent three decades in the intel community, mainly at DIA and exclusively focused on China and it's intel efforts.
👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more
Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn are joined by Nick Eftimiades of Shinobi Enterprises for a deep dive on China's penetration of U.S. critical infrastructure, Beijing's long-term intelligence strategy, and why Congress may be the only place durable counter-China policy can be forced into law.
Nick is heading to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to discuss China's subversion of U.S. critical infrastructure and the gaps in America's counterintelligence response. The conversation covers cyber campaigns, compromised supply chains, solar and battery systems, local political influence operations, Cuba, Taiwan, Europe's threat picture, LinkedIn recruitment, and Nick's database of 984 China-related counterintelligence cases.
In this episode, we cover:
• Salt Typhoon, Volt Typhoon, and Chinese penetration of U.S. communications infrastructure • Backdoors and kill switches in Chinese-made infrastructure products • Why the U.S. needs a response strategy, not only stronger defenses • China's long-term patience and why Beijing can wait out U.S. administrations • The Arcadia mayor case and local political influence operations • "Bottom sinking fish" and decades-long asset placement • China's SIGINT presence in Cuba • Whether the Taiwan invasion threat is being overhyped • How Europe balances China, Russia, terrorism, and economic pressure • Nick's China CI database and changes in MSS tradecraft • LinkedIn targeting, fake consultancy approaches, and AI-enabled espionage risks
Timeline / chapters
• 00:00 Nick Eftimiades returns ahead of a House Intel roundtable • 01:02 Why Congress is focused on Chinese subversion of U.S. critical infrastructure • 02:46 Salt Typhoon, Volt Typhoon, backdoors, and kill switches • 04:51 Glenn on China's dominance in solar and battery supply chains • 06:32 Moving key supply chains out of China • 07:49 Why cyber defense alone gives Beijing no reason to stop • 09:33 Trump, Xi, and Beijing's ability to wait out administrations • 11:21 Why Congress needs to mandate a durable China strategy • 13:51 The Arcadia mayor case and local political influence operations • 17:05 "Bottom sinking fish" and China's long-term asset strategy • 18:40 Cuba, Chinese SIGINT, and U.S. strategic opportunity • 23:04 Are analysts overselling the China threat? • 24:11 Taiwan, 2027, and the limits of U.S. intelligence • 25:16 How Europe weighs China against Russia and terrorism • 27:36 Nick's 984-case China counterintelligence database • 31:17 Mapping MSS headquarters and estimating the service's size • 33:34 LinkedIn targeting, fake papers, and AI in recruitment • 36:08 Closing thoughts and constituent pressure on Congress
About Nick Eftimiades
Nick Eftimiades is introduced in the episode as being of Shinobi Enterprises and as someone who has spent decades covering China and the China counterintelligence threat. In this conversation, he discusses his work tracking China-related counterintelligence cases, his database of 984 cases, and his current research into Ministry of State Security headquarters locations in China.
How to find Glenn Corn
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multi-time Chief of Station in some of the world's most difficult posts. You can find him at the Institute of World Politics (https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/) or his consultancy at Great South Bay Consulting (https://greatsouthbayinc.com/).
Restricted Handling: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/
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By Ryan FugitExclusive: Coveron discount: https://coveron.com/rhpod or use the code "rhpod" at checkout.
AND, for some great new gum, go to buylarine.com/restricted for up to 50% off (and you can help the show while you do it!)
China is not just stealing secrets, Nick Eftimiades argues it is quietly positioning itself inside the systems America depends on. Nick spent three decades in the intel community, mainly at DIA and exclusively focused on China and it's intel efforts.
👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast at https://www.restrictedhandling.com/ to get a daily intel brief on Russia, China, Iran, Economics/Sanctions, Espionage, and more
Ryan Fugit and Glenn Corn are joined by Nick Eftimiades of Shinobi Enterprises for a deep dive on China's penetration of U.S. critical infrastructure, Beijing's long-term intelligence strategy, and why Congress may be the only place durable counter-China policy can be forced into law.
Nick is heading to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to discuss China's subversion of U.S. critical infrastructure and the gaps in America's counterintelligence response. The conversation covers cyber campaigns, compromised supply chains, solar and battery systems, local political influence operations, Cuba, Taiwan, Europe's threat picture, LinkedIn recruitment, and Nick's database of 984 China-related counterintelligence cases.
In this episode, we cover:
• Salt Typhoon, Volt Typhoon, and Chinese penetration of U.S. communications infrastructure • Backdoors and kill switches in Chinese-made infrastructure products • Why the U.S. needs a response strategy, not only stronger defenses • China's long-term patience and why Beijing can wait out U.S. administrations • The Arcadia mayor case and local political influence operations • "Bottom sinking fish" and decades-long asset placement • China's SIGINT presence in Cuba • Whether the Taiwan invasion threat is being overhyped • How Europe balances China, Russia, terrorism, and economic pressure • Nick's China CI database and changes in MSS tradecraft • LinkedIn targeting, fake consultancy approaches, and AI-enabled espionage risks
Timeline / chapters
• 00:00 Nick Eftimiades returns ahead of a House Intel roundtable • 01:02 Why Congress is focused on Chinese subversion of U.S. critical infrastructure • 02:46 Salt Typhoon, Volt Typhoon, backdoors, and kill switches • 04:51 Glenn on China's dominance in solar and battery supply chains • 06:32 Moving key supply chains out of China • 07:49 Why cyber defense alone gives Beijing no reason to stop • 09:33 Trump, Xi, and Beijing's ability to wait out administrations • 11:21 Why Congress needs to mandate a durable China strategy • 13:51 The Arcadia mayor case and local political influence operations • 17:05 "Bottom sinking fish" and China's long-term asset strategy • 18:40 Cuba, Chinese SIGINT, and U.S. strategic opportunity • 23:04 Are analysts overselling the China threat? • 24:11 Taiwan, 2027, and the limits of U.S. intelligence • 25:16 How Europe weighs China against Russia and terrorism • 27:36 Nick's 984-case China counterintelligence database • 31:17 Mapping MSS headquarters and estimating the service's size • 33:34 LinkedIn targeting, fake papers, and AI in recruitment • 36:08 Closing thoughts and constituent pressure on Congress
About Nick Eftimiades
Nick Eftimiades is introduced in the episode as being of Shinobi Enterprises and as someone who has spent decades covering China and the China counterintelligence threat. In this conversation, he discusses his work tracking China-related counterintelligence cases, his database of 984 cases, and his current research into Ministry of State Security headquarters locations in China.
How to find Glenn Corn
Glenn Corn is a former CIA Senior Intelligence Service officer and multi-time Chief of Station in some of the world's most difficult posts. You can find him at the Institute of World Politics (https://www.iwp.edu/faculty/glenn-corn/) or his consultancy at Great South Bay Consulting (https://greatsouthbayinc.com/).
Restricted Handling: https://www.restrictedhandling.com/