DOJ Releases Year-in-Review for Its China Initiative

The Department of Justice on Nov. 16 released a “year-in-review” synopsis of its China Initiative, detailing the agency’s emphasis on investigating Chinese theft of U.S. technology and trade secrets. The agency said it charged three cases of Chinese economic espionage that were intended to benefit the Chinese government, and it focused on raising awareness among U.S. academic institutions. Universities are among the nation's “most vulnerable sectors” to Chinese trade theft because of the importance of the free flow of ideas, the agency said. DOJ also said it plans to increase outreach in the coming year to help U.S. businesses and academia “better protect themselves.” The initiative was established in November 2018.