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Drop fabricated charges of hacking: China to US
October 10, 2014, 5:47 am

Sino-US ties have long been dogged by accusations of cyber espionage [Xinhua]

Sino-US ties have long been dogged by accusations of cyber espionage [Xinhua]

In yet another episode that threatens to undo efforts aimed at finding common ground to tackle hacking, the Chinese Foreign Ministry told the US to stop “fabricating stories” and “mudslinging” about alleged Chinese commercial spying. A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) official has accused China of stealing secrets from US firms.

“Chinese laws forbid hacking or any other behavior harmful to cyber security, and it is an undoubted fact that the Chinese government resolutely cracks down on crimes,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Thursday in Beijing at a daily news briefing.

During a TV appearance on CBS, FBI director James Comey said earlier this week that China topped the list of countries seeking to steal secrets from US firms, costing American businesses billions of dollars every year.

“I liken them a bit to a drunk burglar. They’re kicking in the front door, knocking over the vase, while they’re walking out with your television set. They’re just prolific,” Comey said.

China hit back with charges of mass surveillance of private citizens and businesses by the US.

“Again, we urge the U.S. side to drop its wrongful fabrication of stories and deliberate mudslinging toward China, as well as stop its large-scale, systematic cyber attacks on other countries,” said the Chinese spokesman.

The US side’s attempt to divert attention by accusing others will not succeed, Hong added, referring to revelations by former US National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden about US cyber-spying that included hacking into computers in China since 2009.

Sino-US ties have long been dogged by accusations of cyber espionage.

In May this year, a senior Chinese military officer labelled the United States the world’s biggest cyber-thief a week after a grand jury in Washington indicted five Chinese officers on charges of hacking into American companies to steal trade secrets.

“In terms of both military and political intelligence and trade secrets, the United States is the world’s No.1 cyber thief and its spying force should be indicted,” Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, said.

“From Wikileaks to the Snowden incident, the U.S. hypocrisy and double standards on the issue of network security have long been obvious,” the Chinese Defence Ministry said in a statement, lashing out at the US indictment.

The US is the biggest attacker of China’s cyberspace, with US servers taking control of 1.18 million Chinese host computers between March 19 and May 18, according to the China Internet information office.

 

TBP and Agencies