WASHINGTON (AP) — The Chinese surveillance balloon that traversed the United States before being shot down last weekend captivated public attention and drew sharp denunciations as a brazen spying effort.
But if the vehicle for espionage seemed novel, the concept was anything but.
In far less public ways, U.S. officials say, the Chinese government has been targeting U.S. industry and government agencies with spy operations designed to collect troves of inside information and give the global superpower a competitive edge.
It's been a constant concern for law enforcement and intelligence agencies across administrations.
