FBI says China ‘targeting’ Mississippi River system

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

FBI agent warns China targets Mississippi River and major U.S. ports .

China seeks control over supply chains, technology, and strategic industries.

New Orleans- China trade surged 387% from 2014 to 2023.

FBI cautions Chinese economic footholds could influence U.S. politics and commerce.

In a July meeting with the Louisiana District Export Council, New Orleans FBI agent Benjamin Dreessen gave a number of serious warnings about the threat of China to American trade, including that China is “targeting the Mississippi River system.”

Dreessen warned that China’s five-year plan includes efforts to gain monopolistic control over key global industries by “procuring others’ intellectual property.”

Dreessen said the strategy extends to the United States’ inland waterways