Groups Lobby against CRRC

Probably one of the most bizarre/interesting articles I have read from trains.com, with the U.S. Defense Department linking CRRC to the Chinese military... -_-

https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2 ... ainst-crrc

A U.S. rail lobbying group is among those asking the Trump administration to level strong sanctions against Chinese rail equipment manufacturer CRRC, in light of a U.S. Defense Department statement linking the firm to the Chinese military. Reuters reports that the Rail Security Alliance and United Steelworkers are among those asking U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which would bar the company from using the U.S. banking system, freeze its U.S. assets, and bar American companies and individuals from conducting business with the Chinese firm. The request comes after the Defense Department included CRRC — the world's largest rail equipment manufacturer — on a list last month of 20 companies it says are owned or control by China’s People’s Liberation Army. Last year, Congress passed and President Trump signed the Transit Infrastructure Vehicle Security Act, which bans contracts to companies based in China or others that do not protect intellectual property rights. Supporters of the bill cited cybersecurity concerns as well as competitive concerns over CRRC’s support by the Chinese government. CRRC subsidiaries have plants in Chicago and Springfield, Mass., and the company has built or is building equipment for the Chicago Transit Authority, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, LA Metro, and the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, among others

I'm skeptical of the defense concerns, but watching the constant bonfire of documents being burned at the Chinese consulate in Houston yesterday makes me wonder if there's something more substantive to the accusations of evesdropping using a traincar's public address and surveillance systems.

Where there's smoke, there's usually fire.