China denies report it spies on Trump’s iPhone, suggests he get a Huawei instead
- Trump should get a Huawei phone if he is concerned about security of his iPhone, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said
- Chinese government spokeswoman dismissed New York Times report about Chinese spying as ‘fake news’
A report in The New York Times that Chinese and Russian spies are often listening in on US President Donald Trump's conversations with his friends made on his unsecured iPhone drew an unusual response from the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman.
If Trump is concerned about the security of his iPhone, he can consider switching over to a Huawei, or cut off communications altogether, Hua Chunying, the foreign ministry spokeswoman, said in response to a question about the Times report. She dismissed the report as another example of “fake news”.
“Seeing this report, I feel there are those in America who are working all-out to win the Oscar for best screenplay,” Hua said at the ministry’s regular briefing in Beijing on Thursday.
American spy agencies had learned that China and Russia were eavesdropping on the president's cellphone calls, with China seeking to use what it learns from the calls to prevent an escalation of a trade war with the US, according to the Times report, which cited several former and current officials.