The latest round of allegations warn that China is using a variety of methods to steal sensitive information from critical infrastructure in the West.
China has rejected claims that it is spying on critical Western infrastructure, calling the joint warning issued by the United States and its allies a “collective disinformation campaign.” The statement, issued by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, noted that China is using a variety of methods to steal sensitive information from critical infrastructure in the West, including telecommunications, energy and transportation.
The Chinese government has declared that the accusations are “baseless” and that China is a “strong supporter of cybersecurity”: “The so-called joint statement by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand is a collective campaign of disinformation” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference.
The US government has accused China of carrying out a series of cyber espionage activities in recent years, including stealing intellectual property from US companies.
“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns such irresponsible and misleading statements,” Zhao Lijian said.
In 2019, the US Department of Justice charged two Chinese nationals with hacking US companies to steal trade secrets. The Chinese government has denied all accusations of cyber espionage.
The joint warning issued by the United States and its allies is the latest sign of rising tensions between the West and China over cybersecurity. This group of countries have accused China of not doing enough to protect its citizens from cyberattacks and of sponsoring cyberattacks against Western targets.
The United States and its allies are also working on developing new tools and technologies to combat Chinese cyber espionage. For example, the United States government has created a new Cyber Command, responsible for defending the country from cyberattacks.
China has accused the United States of hypocrisy, saying the US government is the world’s leading cyber power and has a history of carrying out cyber attacks against its own citizens and those of other countries. Cybersecurity tensions will likely continue to be a source of friction between the United States and China for years to come.
Cybersecurity and the conflict between China and the US.
The Chinese government has a long history of cyber espionage. In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack infected more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries, including hospitals, schools, and businesses. The attack is believed to have originated in China.
In 2019, the SolarWinds hack was one of the most sophisticated cyberattacks in history. The hackers managed to infiltrate SolarWinds’ network and insert malicious code into its software. The code was then distributed to thousands of customers, including the US government, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies.
The Chinese government has denied all allegations of cyber espionage, but evidence suggests it is a major player in the global cyber threat landscape.