Trump was right all along...China’s proposal to build 70 feet pagoda near US Capitol shelved due to espionage fears: Report

Jul 24, 2022

Chinese flag at one of the concentration camp, which are dubbed as 'reeducation centres'. 

The former Trump administration had put Huawei on US Commerce Department's “entity list” in 2019 as it restricted suppliers selling technology to it over national security concerns.

According to reports, China proposed to build a 70 feet high white pagoda in Washington but US counterintelligence officials stopped the project over espionage fears.

The pagoda was reportedly set to be built on a hill near the Capitol in 2017 which included a Chinese garden with temples and pavilions in the heart of the US capital. The report said the FBI had warned that China’s Huawei equipment atop cell towers in US military bases could pose a national security threat.

Also Read: China condemns Canada's Huawei 5G ban over 'groundless' security risks

US officials raised doubts over the pagoda project since it could catch signal intelligence as it was set to be near the US Capitol. There was increased scrutiny after Chinese officials wanted to build it with material shipped in diplomatic pouches which could not be checked by US customs, reports said sourcing FBI documents.

The former Trump administration had put Huawei on US Commerce Department’s “entity list” in 2019 as it restricted suppliers selling technology to it over national security concerns. The Trump government had also prevented the Chinese telecom giant from obtaining semiconductors without a special licence as it moved to blacklist the company.

Watch: China uses tech giant Huawei for surveillance?

In a related development, reports claimed the Biden administration is investigating Huawei over concerns the cell towers could transmit information from military bases with Huawei likely to gain access to military drills and acquire readiness status of US military bases. Huawei has consistently denied it conducted spying operations for the Chinese government

FBI Director Christopher Wray had earlier alleged that if Chinese companies like Huawei are given “unfettered access” they could collect information that traverses their devices or networks. US companies are forbidden from using federal subsidies to buy telecom equipment from Huawei.