China denounces US hacking accusation

China reiterated on Tuesday its position on cybersecurity, saying the Chinese government and the military never engage or participate in theft of trade secrets through the internet.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comment in response to reports that the United States charged four members of the People’s Liberation Army on Monday with hacking Equifax, a credit reporting agency, in 2017.

A massive data breach at Equifax compromised the personal information of about 145 million people, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

The Chinese government firmly opposes and combats cyberattacks of any kind, and its position on cybersecurity is consistent and clear, Geng told reporters at an online daily news briefing.

Geng said that it has long been an open secret that US government agencies, in violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations, have engaged in large-scale, organized and indiscriminate cybertheft, spying and surveillance activities against foreign governments, enterprises and individuals.

Information made public by former US government contractor Edward Snowden and by WikiLeaks exposed US mass surveillance programs, US hypocrisy and its double standard on cybersecurity, he said.

China also has been a victim of US cybertheft, surveillance and monitoring, he said, adding that Beijing has repeatedly lodged stern representations to Washington and demanded the US explain and immediately stop such acts.