Data Abyss’ Post

Today’s hearing brought a powerful shift from the usual discourse about the CCP’s operations. Instead of the standard analysis by China Watchers, we heard a firsthand account from Anna Puglisi—someone who has faced threats from Beijing’s BGI and MGI over her research at Georgetown University 's Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). Despite the harassment, Georgetown University has remained silent, leaving Anna to defend herself. The CCP operates in the U.S. openly and, in many cases, freely, conducting soft power, hard power, espionage, lobbying, campaigning, buying, stealing, and exerting pressure on Americans and overseas Chinese. The CCP’s United Front is designed to turn Americans against their own government’s and society’s interests. It’s undermining the integrity of our democracy, and worse, it’s getting Americans to do it themselves. This should serve as a wake-up call to U.S. institutions: we need to stand behind those who exercise their freedom of speech and resist the CCP’s insidious tactics of elite capture and lawfare. Anna’s courage to speak out is what we need more of in the fight against these oppressive strategies. In the U.S., the First Amendment guarantees her right to voice her views freely. If that challenges your values, Georgetown University, then you’re part of the problem. It’s time to decide which side you're on. And if you're silent against Beijing as well, you’re part of the problem. “My story also highlights our country’s own elite capture that aids China and silences or tempers the work of many others— as I have not received the support from and was promised by Georgetown University .”— Anna Puglisi describes being targeted by Chinese military company BGI Genomics #ccp #china #defense #unitedfront #bgi #research #firstamendment #freedoms #oppressive #strategy #lawfare #risk #security #intelligence #biotechnology #BGI