Washington (AFP) – The United States secretly expelled two Chinese embassy officials in September after they drove onto a sensitive military base in Virginia, The New York Times reported Sunday.
The newspaper, which cited people with knowledge of the episode, said it appeared to be the first time in more than 30 years that the US has expelled Chinese diplomats on suspicion of espionage.
At least one of the diplomats was believed to be an intelligence officer operating under cover, the Times said.
The Times said the diplomats, accompanied by their wives, drove up to the checkpoint at the entrance to a sensitive installation near Norfolk, Virginia that includes special operations forces.
Dem rising star’s SOTU rebuttal ripped by conservatives: ‘Anyone who claims she is a “moderate” is a liar’
Trump’s former Ukraine envoy criticizes US abstention on UN peace vote
WATCH: Fiery Brit Squares Up to Muslim and Savages Islamism to His Face – “Every Inch of This Land Is Mine”
CNN Poll: Majority of Viewers Felt More Optimistic About America’s Future After Watching Trump’s Speech
Trump Excoriates Democrats for Supporting Child Mutilation During SOTU Speech: ‘These People Are Crazy’
Dem Protests to SOTU: Bad Singing, Radical Giraffe Furries, Fake Tears, Pro-Trump Crashers, and Almost Zero Audience
Voters react as Trump calls Dems ‘crazy’ for not applauding ban on secret teen gender transitions
Trump hands to-do list to Congress with 7 priorities during State of the Union address
Nancy Guthrie’s neighbor saw suspicious man walking nearby 2 weeks before suspected abduction
Trump celebrates ‘turnaround for the ages’ in State of the Union address and more top headlines
Trump’s ‘home run’ SOTU speech sparks praise from conservatives online while leaving Democrats seething
Fox Nation releasing four-part documentary on David: King of Israel
Jasmine Crockett trashes Trump, boycotts his speech: ‘The current state of our union is grim’
House Democrats ignore Hakeem Jeffries’ plea to sit silent at State of the Union
Car barrels into crowd outside California bar, gunfire erupts in chaotic scene caught on video
The guard saw that they didn’t have permission to enter and directed them to go through the gates, turn around and exit.
The Chinese officials continued onto the base, evading military personnel pursuing them until they were forced to stop by fire trucks blocking their path, according to the Times.
It said the officials said they didn’t understand the guard’s instructions and got lost.
Weeks after the incident, the State Department placed restrictions on the activities of Chinese diplomats, in what it said was a response to years-old Chinese regulations limiting the movements of US diplomats.
Story cited here.
