US defence chief Hagel accuses China of cyber spying at Singapore forum
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel on Saturday accused China of waging cyber espionage against the United States, raising pressure on Beijing over the issue ahead of a key summit between their leaders.
The Pentagon chief, speaking at a Singapore security forum attended by senior Chinese military officials, pointedly blamed the Chinese government and armed forces for repeated intrusions into sensitive US information systems.
“The United States has expressed our concerns about the growing threat of cyber intrusions, some of which appear to be tied to the Chinese government and military,” he told an annual conference known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.
The United States has expressed our concerns about the growing threat of cyber intrusions, some of which appear to be tied to the Chinese government and military
Hagel pressed Beijing to adhere to “international norms of responsible behaviour in cyberspace”, while acknowledging that the establishment of a joint cyber security working group was a positive step in fostering dialogue.
The Singapore conference took place ahead of the June 7-8 meeting between US President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in California, the first meeting between the two leaders since Xi took office in March.
Hagel’s remarks came just days after China’s defence ministry dismissed a Pentagon report accusing Chinese hackers of accessing US weapons designs.
“First they underestimate the security defence capabilities of the Pentagon and second they underestimate the intelligence of the Chinese people,” it said.
The report was the most explicit statement yet from Washington that it believes China’s cyber spying is focused on the US government and corporations.