Concerns over China’s economic espionage and technology transfer have been mounting for years now, but 2018 proved to be a significant turning point in Washington. A slew of reports, hearings, and even new legislation emerged over the course of the year that, taken together, produced a cacophony of alarm bells. U.S. political rhetoric on China was escalating as was scrutiny on Chinese investments in Silicon Valley startups and Chinese talent programs that sought to recruit American scientists.