LONDON: CIA Director Mike Pompeo said that Chinese efforts to exert covertinfluence over the West are just as concerning as Russian subversion, whilespeaking to an interview with BBC.

Pompeo further informed that that the Chinese “have a much biggerfootprint” than the Russians do, as an example he quoted the efforts tosteal US commercial information and infiltration of schools and hospitals.

“Think about the scale of the two economies,” Mr Pompeo said of Russia andChina.”The Chinese have a much bigger footprint upon which to execute thatmission than the Russians do.”[image: an image]

The US spy chief said that the international community could collectivelydo more to combat Chinese efforts to exert power over the West.

“We can watch very focused efforts to steal American information, toinfiltrate the United States with spies – with people who are going to workon behalf of the Chinese government against America,” he said. “We see itin our schools. We see it in our hospitals and medicals systems. We see itthroughout corporate America. It’s also true in other parts of the world…including Europe and the UK.”

CIA Director Pompeo claimed that Russia will target US mid-term electionslater this year as part of the Kremlin´s attempt to influence domesticpolitics across the West.

Russia has been accused of meddling in the 2016 US Presidential electionand Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the allegations, whichMoscow denies, and whether there was any collusion involving PresidentDonald Trump´s associates.

Pompeo said Russia had a long history of information campaigns and said itsthreat would not go away. Asked if Russia would try to influence themid-term elections, he said: “Of course.

I have every expectation that they will continue to try and do that.

“But I am confident that America will be able to have a free and fairelection.

That we´ll push back in a way that is sufficiently robust that the impactthey have on our election won´t be great. – AFP