Guam authorities recently arrested seven Chinese nationals for illegally entering the island near sensitive military installations.
According to the island’s Customs and Quarantine Agency, at least four of the detainees were found near military sites, including Andersen Air Force Base, on December 10 and 11. The base was hosting a ballistic missile interception test when the arrest took place.
The individuals, all citizens of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), arrived on Guam via boat from Saipan.
One of the detainees had an outstanding arrest warrant and was discovered approaching a restricted military area. Officials found no contraband among their belongings but have launched an investigation into the group’s activities.
Guam is a key strategic location for U.S. military operations in the Western Pacific and serves as a vital hub for missile defense systems. The December 10 missile interception test was part of broader efforts to strengthen Guam’s defenses against potential missile threats, including China’s DF-26 ballistic missiles, which have the range to target the island.
The U.S. plans to develop an integrated air and missile defense network on Guam at 16 sites, involving advanced radar systems and interceptor missiles, in a project estimated to cost $10 billion over the next decade.
The arrests add to a growing number of incidents involving Chinese nationals near U.S. and allied military facilities. Guam alone has recorded 152 cases of PRC nationals attempting illegal entry since 2022, often near restricted areas.
The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based think tank, noted in its December 20 report that such incursions could be part of an effort to gather intelligence on U.S. missile defenses and military infrastructure.
Similar incidents have been reported in other locations, including California, where a Chinese national was arrested in November for flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base, and in Germany, where authorities detained a Chinese individual for photographing sensitive naval facilities.
Beijing has denied any involvement in these cases.
