China summons US ambassador and military attaché over indictments
US ambassador and the military attache summoned as Beijing protests indictments of five PLA officials for hi-tech snooping
China summoned the US ambassador to the country, Max Baucus, in protest after vehemently denying allegations by the United States of cyberespionage by military officials.
Assistant Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang told Baucus that China could "take further action on the so-called charges" depending on how the situation developed.
The defence ministry's Foreign Affairs Office also summoned the US' acting military attaché yesterday to protest.
Watch: US indicts five members of China military for hacking
A Xinhua commentary slammed the accusations against China, highlighting ex-National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden's revelations that the US spied on Chinese companies and calling the move "a typical case of a thief crying thief".
On Monday, the US Justice Department filed criminal charges against five officials from the People's Liberation Army, accusing them of hacking into computers of US companies involved in nuclear energy, steel manufacturing and solar energy. The unprecedented indictment marked the first time Washington had filed hacking charges against foreign officials. The White House emphasised cybersecurity was at the top of President Barack Obama's agenda.