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Chinese Nationals Arrested in Guam Amid Missile Defense Test
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Authorities in Guam reported the arrest of seven Chinese nationals suspected of illegally entering the territory around the time a significant missile interception test was conducted by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. According to the island’s Customs and Quarantine Agency, these individuals were apprehended during the weekend of December 10-11.
The agency noted that at least four of the detainees were discovered “in the vicinity of a military installation.” Guam is home to numerous military sites, including the Andersen Air Force Base, where the missile test took place on December 10.
The Institute for the Study of War indicated in a recent report that any espionage activities targeting U.S. military facilities, particularly those with missile capabilities, could provide the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with crucial intelligence.
Guamanian officials revealed that all arrested individuals arrived on the same boat from Saipan, and the ongoing investigation continues to examine the circumstances surrounding their entry.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the arrests.
In response to potential threats, the United States is in the process of establishing a comprehensive air and missile defense network across 16 locations on the island. This initiative aims to deter missile attacks by complicating and increasing the resource demands of any such efforts against Guam.
The proposed defense strategy plans to incorporate state-of-the-art U.S. missile defense systems and radar technology, with financial projections indicating a possible expenditure of up to $10 billion over the next ten years.
Following the successful interception test on December 10, the Missile Defense Agency has stated that it anticipates conducting up to two interception tests each year.
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