China's state-owned shipping giant COSCO is pushing back against allegations that it used hidden equipment aboard its vessels to spy on military communications near American coastlines, denying the allegations. The denial comes after two senior Trump administration officials said the company has maintained a decades-long intelligence-collection partnership with Beijing, allowing China to gather communication signals from vessels and aircraft operating across Europe, North America and Asia.
The allegations first surfaced when Reuters reported on September 1, citing officials, that COSCO used concealed equipment to spy on military communications near the coastlines of target nations, which officials said include the United States. COSCO responded by rejecting the allegations outright. The company said it operates its global businesses in a market-oriented manner.
A Fleet Too Big to Ignore
COSCO Shipping Lines is not a minor player easy to dismiss. The company operates a large container fleet, making it one of the world's major container lines. That scale is central to why the spying allegations carry weight: a fleet operating across so many trade routes and ports could theoretically offer broad geographic coverage for the kind of signal intelligence gathering officials described.
China's embassy in Washington has previously said that Beijing would never ask a company or individual to collect or provide data, information or intelligence abroad against local laws, a statement that predates the current allegations but speaks directly to them. The dispute lands against a backdrop of discussion about American maritime infrastructure, even as the company says its equipment serves only civilian purposes.
COSCO and U.S. Maritime Infrastructure
COSCO and U.S. Maritime Infrastructure The article also discusses COSCO alongside U.S. maritime infrastructure, including the Long Beach Container Terminal.
COSCO is discussed in connection with major West Coast maritime facilities, including the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Beyond COSCO specifically, the article considers broader maritime-security issues involving port equipment at American seaports. The article also discusses U.S. maritime-security policy.
According to United States Coast Guard News, the agency released a voluntary guide on 23 Jan 2023 for baseline cybersecurity assessments and plan development, particularly for Facility Security Plans. According to the United States Coast Guard, a 17 Jan 2025 work instruction guides Marine Inspectors and Port State Control Officers in assessing cyber hygiene onboard vessels. The article also discusses cybersecurity concerns involving Chinese-manufactured port equipment.
Beijing's Legal Obligations on Civilian Fleets
Beijing's Legal Obligations on Civilian Fleets The article also discusses China's civilian and military sectors. An April 2025 report from the U.S. Naval War College titled "China's Fishermen Spies" is mentioned in that context.
The article also discusses data in the context of Chinese shipping logistics.
Timing Tied to Trump-Xi Summit
The dispute surfaces weeks before a high-profile diplomatic summit: Xi Jinping is expected to visit Washington and meet with President Donald Trump on September 24, according to the Reuters report, with the date described as confirmed by Trump. The expected summit is set to focus on sensitive security and trade issues, meaning maritime security allegations against one of China's largest state-owned enterprises could shadow talks between the two leaders. Hoodline previously reported on tariff moves ahead of Xi visit as part of the broader run-up to the meeting.
Whether the spying allegations against COSCO will factor into those discussions remains unclear, but the timing places the shipping giant squarely in the middle of a bilateral relationship already strained over trade and technology. For now, COSCO has denied the allegations.
