One of the predictable two-step dances in US-China foreign relations goes like this: First, an arm of the U.S. government will issue a carefully worded statement referring to recent activities carried out in or by China, all deeply documented. Second, a representative of the Chinese government will flatly deny everything.
This mini-drama played out again this week. On Monday, the Pentagon made public a report for U.S. lawmakers presenting evidence that China’s military had attempted to hack U.S. government computers to steal defense secrets. “China is using its computer network exploitation capability to support intelligence collection against the U.S. diplomatic, economic, and defense industrial base sectors that support U.S. national defense programs,” the report stated. The electronic intrusions “appear to be attributable directly to the Chinese government and military.” The report marked the first time the U.S. government had directly accused China of cyber-espionage.
On Tuesday, unsurprisingly, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying told reporters it was all hogwash: “We’re willing to carry out an even-tempered and constructive dialogue with the U.S. on the issue of Internet security,” Hua protested. “But we are firmly opposed to any groundless accusations and speculations.”
A flat-out rebuttal leaves little opening for discussion. However, myriad recent reports from U.S. government agencies, private security firms like Mandiant, and media (including Bloomberg Businessweek’s recent cover, “Yes, the Chinese Army is Spying On You”), might lead a reasonable observer to conclude: Yes the Chinese army is lying to you. Again. But for the record, Hua maintains: “China has repeatedly said that we resolutely oppose all forms of hacker attacks.”
Larson is a Bloomberg Businessweek contributor.
