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Seven Chinese citizens have been arrested for allegedly attempting to illegally enter Guam, a US territory, while the military was conducting a key missile defence test, authorities said.
The incident, which occurred on 10-11 December, has raised concerns about potential espionage as four of those detained were found “in the vicinity of a military installation,” Guam’s Customs and Quarantine Agency said.
The arrests came as the US Missile Defense Agency conducted an interception test involving advanced radar systems at Andersen Air Force Base on 10 December.
“Conducting espionage against US military facilities, especially those with missile launch capabilities, could provide the PRC with potentially valuable intelligence,” US think tank Institute for the Study of War said in a report on Friday, using the formal name of the People’s Republic of China.
The arrested individuals reportedly arrived on the island by boat from Saipan.
Guamanian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, but there has been no immediate response from China’s foreign ministry to the arrests or the allegations.
The US is ramping up its missile defence presence in Guam, aiming to create a network spanning 16 sites on the island. The $10 billion plan is designed to deter missile attacks by complicating potential offensives against the strategically vital US territory in the Indo-Pacific region.
The integration of advanced radar and defence systems forms a crucial part of the effort to counter emerging threats, including those from China.
The missile interception test on 10 December was deemed successful, with the Missile Defene Agency confirming a plan to carry out two such tests annually.
A series of recent arrests have heightened concerns about Chinese espionage activities targeting US military installations. Earlier this month, a Chinese citizen was arrested for allegedly flying a drone and taking photographs of Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The arrest was part of a series of similar incidents involving unauthorised drone activity near sensitive military sites.
