A Chinese state-owned company is bidding for a more than $500 million contract to supply rail cars for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and the contract should be raising eyebrows in terms of finances and security.
The company, China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC), is based in Beijing and is the world’s second-largest construction and engineering company. It is owned by the Chinese regime’s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.
Being owned by the Chinese regime means it’s held under Chinese law, meaning that any data it collects through Wi-Fi or sensors will be liable to Chinese data monitoring laws.
Under the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) National Security Law, all data needs to be “secure and controllable.” The CCP has large-scale data monitoring programs under its Golden Shield censorship system, its Skynet surveillance system, its Social Credit System to track and rate citizens, and others.
Erik Olson, vice president of the Rail Security Alliance, told The Epoch Times in a previous interview that trains today are fitted with numerous systems for monitoring, which could be compromised if the CCP were able to control the rails.
Modern trains have closed-circuit cameras, internal Wi-Fi, and various types of sensors that can collect data.
Reuters published a story on the potential Washington Metro deal on May 9, claiming that “national security hawks” are circling in on the contract potentially going to China. It questions why a state would be interested in spying on people using subway cars—yet for Washington, the answer should be obvious.
If the CCP was able to receive data from the Wi-Fi networks, security cameras, and other sensors, it would mean the data of any government officials using those networks could be compromised. For example, Pentagon officials checking their email on the networks could have their passwords stolen.
It also would mean that the CCP would be able to track the movements of individuals and those they’re traveling with, as China’s facial recognition technology is among the most advanced in the world. FBI agents meeting with sources could have their sources compromised, and government officials having improper meetings could be blackmailed. The CCP could extend the same systems it uses against its own citizens into the heart of U.S. politics.
Reuters doesn’t explain that CRCC is not engaged in a normal business competition.
Being state-owned, the company doesn’t need to make a profit. This allows it to bid below cost and push out competitors. And it often bids at a significantly lower amount than any honest competitor could afford.
CRCC has shown its ability to dominate markets using this method in Australia. After it was allowed into the Australian market close to 10 years ago, it eventually acquired one of the three main Australian rail companies, and the two others went out of business.
The Chinese company already has been using the same tactic in the United States. Olson said that in Boston, CRCC was bidding at about half the price quoted by its competitor.
“The Boston one is particularly interesting because the second-lowest bid was from Bombardier, which was around $1 billion, and CRCC came in at $569 million,” Olson said.
“[CRCC] don’t have to make money, so they can do whatever they want.”
Some cities are going around federal regulations so they can work with CRCC. In Boston, for example, the local government waived federal funds so they won’t be held accountable to President Donald Trump’s 2017 “Buy American and Hire American” executive order.
Cant one lisc to build cars in the US by US firms?? & avoid this Chinese spying circus. Scary
Rolling intelligence gathering machines. I wish I could draw a good Spy Vs Spy cartoon.
Don’t give this to China. We need to keep the business in America. Find an American company that can make these rail cars & keep it in America. Trump needs to be on this and look at it.
Who is even considering such foolishness and irresponsibility?
Keep it in America owned
I live in America and the chinese would love to control the American transportation in any way they could. It’s a freedom issue and the communist world would love for the USA to be dependent on them. I will not even bring up the Spiritual side of this conversation. And yes it is an entire conversation if you still want to live in a free country.
MAGA refuse the communists And their undermining of our ecomomy
Watch the dopey Americans will go with the Chinese. When they find out they have been monitoring us some IDIOT in the Congress will say we didn’t know.
Talk about irresponsible! Good grief, how stupid and irresponsible can any Government be to do ANY business with China!
With all the knowledge we have on the CRCC, WHY are we even considering any of their bids? HAVE WE BECOME THAT STUPID????
Make America Great. We must keep the manufacturing in our country only. Anything that pertains to the privacy and protection of our citizens, thus the law must be changed by our congress for the security of our country. Money and greed is not what will make America Great again.
As soon as i saw the headline I knew we were in trouble again. One way or other if we keep dealing with the Commies we are in huge trouble. We need to stop now while we can admit our opening of China was a big mistake. Work hard to put them back into the Bamboo Curtain. We will have to have help from our allies the few we really have left.
We need to face the fact that the Chinese communist government is not our friend. Neither are they our enemy. What they are is fierce competitors who will use any advantage they can gain due to our open society without regard to our ethics. Don’t let the fox in the henhouse.
How about we hand out catering services, in DC, to Al Quiada? Makes about as much sense.
Trump has, once again, made a bold move with the increased tariffs on China. He needs to follow up with a refusal to allow
any Chinese bids on US infrastructure projects. Washington continues to remain nervous as they are rattled by the first
US president to do his job since Reagan. Obama- Clinton loved to remain on their knees to please any foreign power.
This definitely should not go to China. This should be a no-brainer. America can do this!
Let’s get a trade agreement with China that is beneficial to America or tell the Chinese to go “TO HELL”
We all are guilty of making it easier for China to go all over the world buying up companies. Every time you buy something. Ck to see where it is made! Are YOU buying Chinese made goods and made by slave labor in China too.
Boycott China even if you have to pay much more or do without!!!! It will be worth it.
But one thing to note -China has come over here -and in the Detroit area and bought up a. Lot of companies and now they can put on their cheap goods Made in America. I have no idea how many Chinese people they have brought here to do their cheap labor.
I have farm property I want to sell but no matter how much they offer me I would not sell to a Chinese person.
China keeps people in rooms of 8-9 prople , one toilet and are pd almost nothing to do their slave labor of putting out inferior goods.
Our Pres is really demanding more from them than any pres has before.
It is said our money debt to them is high but it is never said their trade debt to us is extremely high. They are not buying from us nearly the amt they are supposed to in an agreement I believe called NAFTA. Our great pres is doing something about that too!!
What about Russia -they too are trying to take over the world! A seer in a Russian prison was told by the BVM That Russia and China will be at war with each other. He saw battleships owned by each country at battle in the ocean.
We are in the end days. If you aren’t religious you better be!!
Hopefully President Trump is already aware of keeping business here in this country. China already owns a LOT in this country…
Can’t trust the Chinese.
Stupidity is the Root of All Evil, next to the Money Monger Democrats!
Keep it up and coming!
America First means jobs for Americans, not foreign workers here or there.
Trade, all trade should be an exchange of resources not available or in sufficient supply in one’s own country, not goods or services that can be provided without foreign competition.
President Trump talks of America First, but he still promotes unnecessary “free” trade and foreign competition which favors other countries. Red China is as much an adversary of the U.S. today as the pre- world war 2 Axis powers were in the 1930’s and just as dangerous. We have greatly built up their economy and power since Bill Clinton designated them as our most favored trading partner while he was POTUS.
“Free” trade, besides being a massive form of foreign aid, has and is the vehicle being used to institute global government the same way the Common Market led to the European Union. The intended merger of the US, Canada and Mexico is the goal of a North American Union via NAFTA and now the modified version being promoted to Congress. Once regional governments are firmly established, then the push will be for the global body taking command.
Keep the Chinese out of our country. Don’t allow them to “buy” anything. They can’t be trusted.Don’t we have enough spying problems? Mr President, Clean up our country even before you clean the swamp. God bless America.
This is lunacy, with all that is known about the Chinese and what their ultimate goal is, why should they be allowed to bid on anything? The Chinese have only one goal: world domination. If we don’t stop them now
we never will.
BUY AMERICAN…….
This is why I been saying NO Foreign Co. is to work in America we have are own don’t need anyone else and we need to make a law that any foreigner can Not be in any government office in state or federal till the 5 th generation that way hopefully we will know if they are a True America, those muslums in congress need removed immediately we already know they are Not for America or the American People, plus we need to go back to the way it was years ago know one was aloud in this country even for a visit unless they had all shots and a clean bill of health, and foods from other countries had to be inspected and no deadly chemicals used on them, we have become to lashed in protecting this country and the people here, we also need to bring all military items built here and only here with very tight security, all parts for our Military made here never out of America with tight security, Common Sense use it .
Similar to China through its state-owned business taking control of the USA’s 2nd largest shipping port, Long Beach, CA. So China can at a single stroke, chokehold maritime trade by closing Long Beach harbor, and then controlling the Washington rail system too. Wow really scary. What else do citizens of the USA not know because of China owning Amerian interests through “businesses” owned entirely by the Communist government of China?
Keep this deal American! You know if the state of China is involved it’s dirty. All Americans, especially socialist politicians, need to wake up and do the right thing for American citizens and not their own pockets.
WHY WOULD ARE GOVERNMENT EVEN CONSIDER A CHINESE BASED COMPANY FOR ANY CONTRACT IN THE US !!!!! HOPE TRUMP IS NOT ASLEEP ON THIS ONE
What idiot would even consider such a stupid move , we need to know who these traitors are that would consider raping our country
What the hell are they even thinkingz/
What the hell are they even thinking/
Great opportunity to give this to a 100% U.S. company and spend all the money in the U.S. and give China NOTHING! Every dime we spend with China is being used to bring us down… when we go to the stores we cannot even find U.S. goods… we need everything in our store to have a U.S. alternative and there needs to be a law that does this. We also need laws that eliminate taxes for all U.S. owned businesses… 100% U.S. owned. Another one that reduces taxes for 100% U.S. and republic allies like Israel. If U.S. businesses that are 100% U.S. in their ownership and sourcing and all aspects have no taxes they will take off. Another good thing to do is to Replace 2% of the federal income tax rate with a sales tax on new goods that are none critical (no tax on 100% U.S. grown and owned foods). The goal should to to help 100% U.S. owned and sources and based small businesses.
Nothing to China and require ALL imported sellers to manufacture 1% more of what they sell in the U.S. each year in the U.S. made with all U.S. citizen employers and management… basically outsourcing their products to the U.S. 1% per year so that in 10 years 10% of their U.S. psold product has to be be from 100% U.S. owned and sourced businesses.
I would definitely not want the China owned company to get the job.
For moral, ethical and security reasons.
Keep the job here at home!
No foreign person or entity should own or invest in an American Company. You must be a citizen to have any influence on our Country.
There’s nothing to stop radical left liberals from doing the same kind of monitoring and tracking of citizens on American-made equipment. So, the basic issue really is underbidding American manufacturers. There ought to be a way of granting preferential treatment to American companies, perhaps through designating foreign manufacturers as vendors of last resort, who can bid only for contracts which cannot be satisfied using American products or personnel.
I am not worried about the tariffs. I have always done my best to by American produced goods even when it costs me more.
Bring the manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.A. NO WAY we should buy ANY industrial products from communist China.
We are then only slitting our own throats.
USA should be using only American companies and workers. USA does not need another government monitoring our citizens in any way shape or form.
Buy American / Hire American
Our c mmunists have greater loyalty to international c mmunists than to their own country. It really is that simple. ‘Nice’ people cant concieve of this so it doesnt exist for them, the same way termites dont exist for people as a reality until they see a swarm or step thru chewed up floorboards. Of course, once termites are obvious much damage has been done. This is where we’re at. Trump as the orkin man shows up and millions focus their anger on him because of tangential issues. Still, i think there are people in all of our lives who might listen if we try.
I bet every one to the cities that are working around President Trump`s orders are run by lib-tards and have been for decades.
We have companies in the US that make them. We need to utilize them
Keep this in AMERICA…China all ready has to much stake in USA.. keep these contracts in America and let our labor force have the jobs…. who ever suggested this needs to be sent out of the country… KEEP IN THE USE MAKE AMERIC GREAT…. STOP ALL THIS NON SENSE.
How much dumber can we get?
It’s dangerous to let the Chinese win the bid. They control anywhere globally of people’s data. They want to control the world like how they do to the people in China. They can persecute anyone who disagree with them. They want people to worship them like God. Christianity is not accepted in their regime. Since they don’t need the money, it’s safe just to keep focus on our business in the U. S.
If the USA government would stop dealing with communist governments we would be more secure. Tell them to change or starve.
Bombardier is a Canadian company. Last time I checked, Canada is a close ally. Soooooo, why not buy from them. Of course, some enterprising company that knows how to build extruded aluminum structures; say a Boeing, Lockheed, or any of several truck and auto manufacturers could do something shocking and start building rail passenger cars here. What a novel idea!
As President Trump understands, China is our biggest enemy. If allowed to win this contract, all of our information would go directly to China. China is seeking world domination without firing a shot in a war that will not be fought on a battlefield. We as Americans need to wake up to this threat. Back our President on this folks.