In case A, the PLA hands the data off to Chinese competitors for economic gain. In case B, no such activity happens. There's no economic leverage, just intel. We know the Chinese spy on us for strategic reasons, and we're not filing a case against that activity.

Basically, the military is acting as an arm of corporate espionage. That's a big no-no.

In case B, the NSA might not hand a briefcase of schematics to US companies for economic gain. But they have used stolen data to influence trade negotiations for the benefit of US companies. In both cases, the military could be said to have acted as an arm of corporate espionage, no?

> In case B, the NSA might not hand a briefcase of schematics to US companies for economic gain

Saying that the NSA wouldn't do that is stupid, and anybody who says otherwise is either ignorant or otherwise malicious.

The US government aids its corporations in every way it can, and it has done so throughout its history.

Except corporate espionage is not just about economic leverage, it can also be just about intel. You don't have to steal IP for it to be corporate espionage.

Basically, the military is acting as an arm of corporate espionage. In the US.