7 Chinese arrested for entering Guam island during US missile test

Guam Customs and Quarantine said at least four of the seven people arrested between December 10 and 11 were found 'in the vicinity of a military facility'.

A Standard Missile-3 Block IIA was launched by the Guam Aegis system during a test at the U.S. Andersen Air Force Base on Guam on December 10.

Reuters reported on December 21 that seven Chinese nationals were arrested for illegally entering Guam at a time when the U.S. Missile Defense Agency was conducting a key intercept test using a new radar.

Guam's Customs and Quarantine agency said at least four of the seven people arrested between December 10 and 11 were found "in the vicinity of a military facility." Guam has several military facilities, including Andersen Air Force Base, where the US conducted a missile test on December 10.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in the US released a report on December 20 stating that "conducting espionage against US military facilities, particularly those capable of launching missiles, could provide China with valuable intelligence."

Guam authorities said all the Chinese nationals arrived on the same boat from Saipan (part of the US Northern Mariana Islands) and the investigation is ongoing.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

4,000 US Marines are being deployed to Guam.

The U.S. plans to create a network of missile and air defenses at 16 locations around the island to deter any missile attack on Guam. This plan would make any attack overly complex and resource-intensive to carry out.

This plan aims to integrate the most advanced missile defense and radar systems in the US and could cost up to $10 billion over the next decade.

The test on December 10th was successful, and the US Missile Defense Agency says it may conduct up to two interception tests per year.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/7-nguoi-trung-quoc-bi-bat-vi-dot-nhap-dao-guam-khi-my-thu-ten-lua-185241221112221181.htm