Will allegations of Chinese hacking derail efforts to end trade war?
- US and allies in Five Eyes alliance are working together to form consolidated front against China, observers say
- Beijing describes Washington’s move as ‘vicious in nature, severely violating the basic norms governing international relations’
China has hit back at accusations by the United States and its allies’ that it engaged in state-sponsored cyber hacking targeting government departments and private enterprise overseas, in a fresh row that could derail efforts to find a solution to the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Analysts said that Washington’s claims suggest it wants to forge a frontline coalition against China, especially among members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
On Thursday, the US Justice Department announced criminal charges against Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong, who it said acted on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security in coordinating espionage activity through a hacking group known as APT10 – Advanced Persistent Threat 10 – to steal trade secrets and technologies from at least 12 countries.
According to the indictment, filed in a federal court in New York, the group has been conducting extensive campaigns of global intrusions into computer systems since at least 2006.
Zhu and Zhang worked for Huaying Haitai Science and Technology Development Company in the north China city of Tianjin, and acted on behalf of the security ministry’s bureau there, US deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein said.
In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying delivered a stern rejection of the allegations.