Gov. Abbott Targets CCP Infiltration in Texas

11/21/2024Updated: 11/21/2024

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued two more executive orders targeting Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in his state, after announcing an initial order on Nov. 18 aimed at protecting local dissidents from the Chinese regime’s harassment.

Abbott signed Executive Order No. GA-49 on Nov. 20 to safeguard critical infrastructure from cyberattacks and issued Executive Order No. GA-48 on Nov. 19 to protect Texans from the CCP’s espionage operations.

Executive Order No. GA-49 directs the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to prepare for any potential cyberattacks aimed at the state’s critical infrastructure.

Under Abbott’s order, the two agencies will create a task force to study potential vulnerabilities within government systems and critical infrastructure, run response simulations to cyberattacks, and put together a committee of state agencies to “simulate a restart of Texas’ electric grid in the event of a foreign attack,” according to a Wednesday statement.

“China has made it clear that they can—and will—target and attack America’s critical infrastructure,” Abbott said in the statement. “Texas will continue to protect our critical infrastructure to ensure the safety of Texans from potential threats by the Chinese Communist Party or any hostile foreign government.”

The order highlighted Volt Typhoon, one of China’s state-sponsored threat groups, and how it had targeted communications, energy, transportation, water, and wastewater systems in the United States and its territories.

Volt Typhoon, which was dismantled by a multi-agency operation in January, had maintained “access and footholds within some victim IT environments for at least five years,” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said in February.

The order also cited FBI Director Christopher Wray’s warnings at the Vanderbilt Summit in Nashville in April, when he said that China “has made it clear that it considers every sector that makes our society run as fair game in its bid to dominate on the world stage.”

‘Hostile Foreign Actors’

Executive Order No. GA-48 directs all state agencies and public institutions of higher education to “harden” their systems from potential infiltration by hostile nations, including more thorough background checks on state employees and contractors who can access critical infrastructure.

Additionally, state agencies will be banned from contracting “companies owned or controlled by a foreign adversary government, and bidding companies must prove that “none of its holding companies or subsidiaries is owned by a foreign adversary government,” according to a Tuesday statement.

Faculty members of higher education institutions are banned from taking part in “any foreign recruitment program by a foreign adversary nation,” such as China’s Thousand Talents Program, according to the statement.

The Thousand Talents Program is one of many talent recruitment initiatives the Chinese regime has maintained for decades to attract overseas Chinese and foreign experts to work in China’s science and tech sectors. Through these programs, the CCP hopes to quickly turn China into an industrial and innovation powerhouse and ultimately outperform Western countries.

The FBI warns on its website that Chinese talent programs pose threats to U.S. national security and usually involve “undisclosed and illegal transfers” of U.S. intellectual property to the Chinese side.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that the Chinese government has actively targeted local and state officials as part of their strategy to undermine the national security of the United States,” Abbott said in a statement.

“Hardening our state government is critical to protect Texans from hostile foreign actors who may attempt to undermine the safety and security of Texas and the nation.”

As an example of the CCP’s infiltration, Abbott’s order pointed to the recent indictment against Linda Sun, former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Sun was charged with spying for Beijing.

Another name mentioned in the order is Christine Fang, a suspected Chinese intelligence agent who Abbott’s office said “developed deep connections” with California’s political figures and national politicians.

‘Texas Is Leading the Charge’

On Monday, when Abbott announced Executive Order No. GA-47, the FBI’s field office in Houston took to the social media platform X to urge victims to come forward.

“The government of the [People’s] Republic of China (PRC) may be cyberstalking, physically intimidating, and harassing Chinese citizens, naturalized U.S. citizens, and families of dissidents who speak [out] against the Chinese Communist Party in Texas,” the office wrote.

Under Abbott’s order, the Texas Department of Public Safety will target and arrest any individual found to be engaging in CCP influence operations within the state.

Washington-based advocacy group Campaign for Uyghurs took to X on Monday to applaud the governor’s decision, saying that CCP continues to carry out its “nefarious practice” of transnational repression in Texas.

An example of Beijing’s transnational repression came to light in April last year, when two Chinese nationals were charged with allegedly establishing a secret police station in Manhattan in coordination with China’s Ministry of Public Security.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement on Wednesday applauding Abbott’s leadership.

“Texas is leading the charge in combating the CCP with the help of Governor Abbott’s leadership,” McCaul stated. “We cannot sit idly by while China attempts to infiltrate our country and harm U.S. national security.

“These executive orders send a strong message of deterrence to the CCP: Don’t mess with Texas.”