Ports

U.S. Intelligence Flags Cosco Surveillance Operations

U.S. intelligence officials have determined that China's state-owned carrier Cosco operates concealed equipment aboard its vessels to monitor military communications near American and allied coastlines, Reuters reported today. The monitoring capability is part of a decades-long intelligence partnership between the shipping line and Beijing, officials said. The arrangement enables China to collect signals from military and commercial aircraft and vessels operating across Europe, North America and Asia. The disclosure comes as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare for bilateral talks in Washington DC in just over three weeks. Cosco, China's largest shipping company, maintains significant Communist Party representation in senior management and crew positions across its fleet. The carrier serves China's geopolitical strategy through its dual commercial and intelligence-gathering roles, reflecting Beijing's broader use of state-owned enterprises as policy instruments.