Not creating an independent investigative office would be very damaging to national security. If I may offer an analogy that may make people laugh, it's a bit like when you drop your crumbs on the floor in your kitchen and the ants start coming for them. Two or three ants are no big thing. But if you leave them there and you aren't careful to clean up, you will be infested by ants. And if you wait even longer, you are going to need experts to fumigate your entire house. It's a bit like that.
As Mr. Stanton said, the work done by the Chinese intelligence services and the extent of that work are amazing. We are facing what is probably the most formidable adversary in human history, because of the resources it has, the subtlety with which it works, and the extent of its operations. It must be pointed out that this is not the only group carrying on this kind of operation. A lot of countries are doing the same thing.
However, there is a very big difference between influence and interference. We have to be able to recognize it and circumscribe it properly, so we can crack down on interference.