National security

Is This China's Next Threat to U.S. National Security?

China is close to making a funding deal that could allow it to glean national-security secrets in the Pacific region via one of the Northern Hemisphere’s premier infrared telescopes, according to government documents.

The East Asian Observatory, which is funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in conjunction with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, has expressed interest in increased access to the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope for years. The telescope sits on top of a dormant volcano on Hawaii’s largest island. It is leased by the University of Hawaii and operated under a Scientific Cooperation Agreement led by the University of Arizona. Government documents obtained by the National Interest show that new funding for the telescope must be secured in the next few months, and that the foreign research group has made a tempting offer of $1 million a year for five years in exchange for independent operation of the telescope and its previously collected data archives.