Singapore Summit

[Black Orchid]

U.S. officials prepare to thwart Chinese spying at Singapore summit.

The Chinese have used everything from bugged hotel keys to “friendship” pins to spy on Americans — and they’re getting better at it all the time.

China may not have a seat at the table during President Donald Trump's upcoming nuclear summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but U.S. officials say they are preparing to counter the Chinese spies they expect to be all over Singapore next week seeking inside information on the talks.

Chinese espionage against the U.S. has become more pervasive than that of any other adversary, current and former U.S. intelligence officials tell NBC News, and the Singapore summit is the latest spy-vs.-spy battleground.

The Chinese, who have been known to bug everything from hotel keys to the gifts given to American visitors, are expected to deploy their increasingly sophisticated repertoire of intelligence gathering techniques, both human and electronic, in Singapore.

Areas of concern for the U.S. at the summit include:

U.S. officials are concerned China has recruited informants among the waiters and other staff in Singapore’s restaurants and bars, who are paid to eavesdrop on American customers and report back to their Chinese handlers.

Officials also expect electronic surveillance of the summit meeting sites. Americans will sweep for bugs in rooms at the Capella Hotel that could be used for side discussions, and could erect tents inside hotel meeting rooms to block any concealed cameras from viewing classified documents.

Chinese intelligence agencies have shown the ability to penetrate mobile phones even when they are off, and U.S. officials are now told to take their batteries out when they are concerned about eavesdropping, according to a U.S. intelligence official.

"Chinese intelligence collection could be amped up around the summit," said Jeremy Bash, an NBC News analyst who was chief of staff to CIA Director Leon Panetta. "They have prioritized surveillance in recent years and their technical prowess has really advanced."

For years, the Chinese have engaged in a massive effort to recruit human spies in the West, and can call on an army of skilled hackers to gather intelligence from the web.

But recently Chinese intelligence agencies have grown more creative and adept, U.S. officials say, posing an increasing threat to America’s secrets.

“China remains a particularly aggressive espionage actor and is using increasingly sophisticated technological platforms to carry out its objectives,” said Dean Boyd, a spokesman for the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, the DNI’s new counterintelligence agency.

According to three U.S. officials, in one recent case a top U.S. official working in China repeatedly had trouble with his hotel key card. He had to replace it several times at the front desk because it wouldn’t open his door.

He brought one of the key cards back to the U.S., where security officials found a microphone embedded inside, according to the U.S. officials.

The Chinese have placed listening and tracking devices in chips embedded in credit cards, key chains, jewelry, and even event credentials, the officials said, often with the intent of capturing secret conversations among American officials

More at ... https://www.nbcnews.com/news/china/u-s- ... it-n880896

[sprintcyclist]

the chinese would be good at that.

I wonder if spying exists that much ?

[Black Orchid]

More than we think I would imagine.

[cods]

its a bit like Get Smart dont you think..

the Cone of Silence....and the shoe phone

I bet the Chinese pinched all those good ideas..

I wonder who is playing James Bond....

I think Kim may have won round one with the size of his car.......

very impressive...

[Black Orchid]

I think it starts around 9.00 am Singapore time (11.00 am our time) tomorrow. I have no idea how long these talks are planned to take though. Anyone know when we will see their smiling/scowling faces emerge?

[Super Nova]

They have allocated 2 days for the days. The second day is backup if they do not conclude things in one day..... so i heard on the news.

[cods]

I believe Trump a Jong un meet for 2 hours..with only interpreters in the room...

before all the others get together...

[Super Nova]

Just read it is goign better than they though so Trump will only stay 1 day... leaving tomorrow night.

[Black Orchid]

KIM Jong-un has reportedly brought his own portable toilet to Singapore after he was said to be concerned over people spying on him.

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong-un is reportedly so concerned about thwarting anyone spying on him that he brought his own portable toilet to the five-star hotel where he’s staying in Singapore for the summit with US President Donald Trump, according to a report.

The toilet, which will deny “sewer divers insights into the supreme leader’s stools,” arrived in a transport plane ahead of him that also carried special food and his bulletproof limousine, the South Korean website Chosun reported overnight.

“Rather than using a public toilet, the leader of North Korea has a personal toilet that follows him around when he travels,” Lee told the Washington Post. “The leader’s excretions contain information about his health status so they can’t be left behind.”

https://www.news.com.au/world/asia/sing ... 4a063fc143

[sprintcyclist]

Just read it is goign better than they though so Trump will only stay 1 day... leaving tomorrow night.

Great news.