Washington, June 27 State governments across the United States have emerged as the new frontline in Washington's strategic competition with China, with lawmakers and security experts warning that Beijing is increasingly targeting local institutions, universities, critical infrastructure and state legislatures.The issue took centre stage during a hearing of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, where witnesses argued that Chinese influence operations had expanded well beyond the federal government to exploit vulnerabilities at the state and local levels.Michael Lucci, founder and chief executive of State Armor, told lawmakers that "the American homeland is contested" and that state governments…