# Backdoor to American Innovation > Military partnerships expose U.S. defense secrets to Chinese espionage. - Title: Backdoor to American Innovation · Foreign Affairs | Shortify - Summary: Military partnerships expose U.S. defense secrets to Chinese espionage. U.S. defense collaborations with allies risk leaking critical technology to… - Keywords: f-35, china, u.s. defense, india, indonesia, philippines, auckus, defense industrial base, espionage, world, politics, Backdoor - Source: Foreign Affairs — https://foreignaffairs.com/united-states/backdoor-american-innovation - Author: Sam Mullins - Published: 2026-10-28T08:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: f-35, china, u.s. defense, india, indonesia, philippines, auckus, defense industrial base, espionage, world, politics ## F-35 Parts Misrouted In late May 2026, F-35 stealth fighter jet parts from Australia were misrouted to Hong Kong and into Chinese hands. > In late May, a shipment of F-35 stealth fighter jet parts heading for the United States from Australia was misrouted to Hong Kong and into Chinese hands. ## U.S. Defense Industrial Base Expansion The U.S. defense industrial base, a network of domestic and international companies, is growing rapidly as Washington seeks to place arms manufacturing on a wartime footing. > The United States is working with allies, notably in the Indo-Pacific, to expand military production and make supply chains resilient to shocks. ## Military Partnerships Accelerate The U.S. has launched partnerships with Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan for critical defense systems, missile production, and shipbuilding. > Washington has supplemented these multilateral initiatives with bilateral defense production agreements, including pacts with Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to partner on critical defense systems, missile production, and shipbuilding. ## Spy Threats Grow U.S. adversaries are increasingly targeting defense supply chains through espionage, sabotage, and infiltration of allies' security systems. > U.S. adversaries are working to steal sensitive information, trade secrets, and intellectual property at every possible level, from recruiting individual employees to hacking manufacturers' IT networks. ## China's Espionage Campaigns China has established academic partnerships with U.S. universities that pose national security risks, including over 100 partnerships identified in a 2025 report. > A September 2025 report from the U.S. House Select Committee on China found more than 100 academic partnerships between American universities and Chinese entities that pose a national security risk. ## AUKUS Vulnerabilities Australia faces increased espionage risks as foreign intelligence groups target defense contractors and AUKUS partners through recruitment and cyberattacks. > Mike Burgess, the director general of Australia’s domestic intelligence service, has repeatedly warned that Australia has become a priority espionage mark where defense personnel are being targeted in person and online. ## Japan's Spy Risks Japan remains a hub for espionage, with Russian intelligence infiltrating defense companies and Chinese hackers targeting military systems. > A July New York Times investigation found that members of a Tokyo-based Russian military intelligence unit called the 20th Directorate have spent years posing as diplomats and businesspeople to help Moscow acquire defense technologies that it is banned from importing. ## South Korea's Cyber Threats South Korea experienced a 40 percent increase in illegal technology transfer cases involving Chinese espionage in 2024. > Last January, the agency reported a 40 percent increase in illegal technology transfer cases, that is, of insiders leaking proprietary information on critical technologies to do with semiconductors, batteries, and shipbuilding. ## Defense Industrial Security Gaps U.S. allies have legal and counterintelligence vulnerabilities that hinder their ability to protect defense technologies from espionage. > Until South Korea passed an expanded espionage statute last February, a loophole in the country’s law meant its government could generally bring espionage charges only in cases related to North Korea. ## Security Measures in Progress Japan is reforming its security architecture with new anti-spy laws and oversight bodies to address espionage vulnerabilities. > Japan is aware of these problems and is reforming its security architecture: Tokyo recently established two bodies to oversee its intelligence agencies and is pursuing a new anti-spy law that will finally give authorities an appropriate set of tools to counter espionage. ## U.S. Response Needed The United States must develop a defense industrial security grading system to assess allies' ability to protect critical technologies. > The United States should develop a comprehensive grading system for defense industrial security, a framework that assesses allies’ ability to safeguard critical technologies and identifies areas for improvement. ## Information Sharing The U.S. should expand information-sharing programs to alert allies about potential threats and vulnerabilities in defense supply chains. > The United States should consider allowing international defense organizations to access these programs, or else work with allies to develop similar, multilateral information-sharing platforms focused on securing defense production. ## Partnership for Industrial Resilience The U.S. should use the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience to develop a work stream for defense industrial security. > Finally, Washington should use the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience to develop a work stream dedicated to defense industrial security, which would provide a forum for regional partners to establish common security standards and share intelligence best practices. ## Critical Technology Risks U.S. adversaries are increasingly targeting defense supply chains to steal critical technologies like semiconductors and shipbuilding components. > In 2024, South Korea’s National Police Agency revealed that North Korean hackers had mounted all-out cyberattacks against South Korean defense companies for over a year, breaching their networks and stealing technical data. ## F-35 Parts Incident The misrouting of F-35 parts to Hong Kong in late May 2026 exposed U.S. defense secrets to Chinese intelligence. > In late May, a shipment of F-35 stealth fighter jet parts heading for the United States from Australia was misrouted to Hong Kong and into Chinese hands. ## Conclusion The United States must strengthen security measures to protect critical technologies in global defense supply chains. > The United States and its allies must strive to stiffen the security of their military research, production, and supply chains. Only with those protections can they realize the gains that come from working together. ## Key takeaway U.S. defense collaborations with allies risk leaking critical technology to adversaries like China through supply chain vulnerabilities.