Assuming the second affair claims are legit, he was also having an affair with a subordinate. That's a huge violation of many corporations' policies, for the average worker I'd expect its an immediate termination offense.
reply> but espionage is a different matter
replyWhat evidence have you seen that espionage has taken place? I've seen people speculating about espionage, but very little evidence to back this up.
People frequently accept that their spouse has an affair as long as it's not in their face. Basically a tacit arrangement that is never talked about.
replyThat matters I would think. A concern for a powerful person is whether knowledge of an affair could give someone else leverage. If you are keeping up appearances then that signals appearance (and secrets) have value.
replyThe espionage allegations are against China though, not against him. He is the alleged victim.
replyHaving your house unknowingly bugged by a spy makes you a victim. Having an affair with a spy, in what now appears to be a broader pattern of questionable ethical behavior, not so much.
replyIf your lover gets recruited by a spy agency you are a victim of spying.
replyThe ethics of having an affair depend entirely on the relationship between the people involved. I can't pass judgement on that in general. Having an affair with customers or subordinates can be problematic, but I wouldn't call it unethical. In any event, it is completely separate from the spying allegations.
I think espionage claims are overrated. Politicians made up a trade war that scientists and engineers never wanted in the first place.
replyI mean it’s complicated, and I wouldn’t say scientists and engineers get much credibility on foreign policy decisions, it’s not their domain
replyI'd say it is much more their domain than that of the politicians who have no idea how the technology being restricted is used or built.
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