

"have had the benefit of undetectable back-doors into highly secure government and military computer networks for months, perhaps years."

If already for years, so why the information will only be allowed to leak into the public in this highly sensitive period of increasing anti-China and anti-West sentiments in the West and China?Counterfeited products, either it be hardware or other kind of products, even fake SUGAR or fake Bottled Water in China is real. The Chinese consumers learned to live with it and know one basic concept "cheap = low quality/warranty". When a product is obvious lower than at the neigbour shop or the usual market retail price, China consumer learned not to buy it or is willingly to take a risk of buying something fake.The supply chains are all too familiar, but it was quite shocking that the US government would allow 2nd/3rd sub-contractors to place hardware orders. Why the US government does not cut a country-wide deal directly with CISCO or other branded US hardware manufacturers, I'm quite sure with the total volume combined they would be much better off than going two three layers down the supply chain, not to mention the security risks.Another very weird sheet is "Why CISCO?", and then simply state that CISCO owes 80% market share. So is that the reason for a quality purchasing nowadays with taxpayer money?US-CHINA Joint Liaison Group:In the only sheet reharding how the cooperation is working, I believe it lacks some fundamental problem-solving actions.If I was the head of this group:- Don't limit the group's efforts at border protections or so-called meaningless Intellectual trademark blabla- No more 2nd-3rd contractors and only dealing with CISCO or whichever brand owner directly. CISCO can always include the so-called golden partners in the deal, but effectively governments should be only dealing with CISCO. If they refuse, purchase from someone else who can satisfy your service and quality requirements instead of only the price or "because they owe 80% of the market.".- If a purchase order is aligned with the US Government, then only authorized secured manufacturing plants can produce and assembly the hardware and components.- CISCO should put their own engineers on the spot to monitor the productions.- Chinese customs should check the plants in a regular and strict way. ANY corruption by Chinese' officials should be punished severe by the Chinese government.- This punishment should be against the plant as well and all the direct people involved, the greedy people offering the corruptions!- US government should recruit authorized preferred Inspection companies to check EVERY single order. These quality inspectors are commonly well-known and used by Foreign Brand owners and importers who do care about the quality of their own products.-ZERO tolerance an 100% check. Every production AND outgoing shipment. Someone like APPLE will send their own inspectors standing next to the production line when producing the Ipods and Iphones in China!!! Why can't the US government do that?- Incoming governmental shipments should go into a consolidated Warehouse in the West coast, either use a AQL or for higher security another 100% quality check, before dispatching to the rest of the country.-The most ideal is that the US create an own Purchasing department, every single purchasing should be going through this department. With her own inspecting teams and with the coordinated efforts you can cut out the best deals. of course Corruption in this department should be punished severe as well.--> Even when a production (all components/assembly) is done in the US, even then a good quality inspection for every production should be ensured.[edit on 21/4/08 by IchiNiSan]