Washington Free Beacon senior editor Bill Gertz appeared on Fox News’ "Tucker Carlson Tonight" to discuss Chinese lobbying efforts in the United States.
China has enfolded many former U.S. officials as part of its lobbying efforts and influence operations. Gertz said China has used coercive measures on Americans to serve its own interests.
"It's a huge problem. China's information and influence operations have been extremely effective," Gertz said. "They are literally buying up former officials. They are utilizing coercive measures to get U.S. businessmen who have interests in China to do their bidding and very little is being done about it."
He said too many people focus on Russian influence operations when China has been much more effective.
"We hear a lot about Russian influence operations. It would China has been doing over the last 30 years is huge compared to what the Russians have done in terms of influencing the U.S. government," he said. "They have literally changed the direction of American foreign policy towards China."
Gertz added that Trump has changed American foreign policy toward China.
"Up until the Trump administration there was this narrative through successive Republican and Democratic administrations—the big propaganda theme was China is not a threat. Trump has come out and said, 'Hey look, the emperor has no clothes. China is a threat,'" he said.
"It's not just limited to these former officials and congressmen and former commerce officials and the like," Gertz said. "They are actually going after former military officials.
He also described an initiative "launched about 10 years ago by the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Bill Owens."
"He basically has made tens of millions of dollars in China and he formed this organization of former military officials who literally lobbied congress and the administration to do China's bidding," Gertz said.