Key facts
- Former CIA deputy director David Cohen advocated for US espionage against Chinese firms.
- Cohen stated that China is contesting or erasing the US lead in crucial advanced technologies.
- The proposal represents a potential departure from long-standing US policy.
A former deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency has proposed that the United States should engage in espionage against Chinese companies to safeguard its technological superiority. David Cohen, who previously held a senior role at the CIA during the Obama and Biden administrations, articulated this stance in an article published by Foreign Affairs. Cohen expressed concern that China is actively challenging and diminishing the US's leading position in numerous critical advanced technologies.