China accused of sustained campaign of ‘cyber intrusions’

The US and UK have publicly accused China of being behind a sustained cyber-campaign, targeting the large-scale theft of intellectual property from a number of nations around the globe.

Two Chinese nationals have been charged in the US in relation to the campaign, with accusations that they had been working “under the direction and protection of China’s main intelligence agency, the ministry of state security”, The Guardian says.

The hackers were “part of a group known as Advanced Persistent Threat 10 or APT 10”, CNN say, which “stole information from more than 45 companies in the US”.

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“China’s goal, simply put, is to replace the US as the world’s leading superpower and they’re using illegal methods to get there,” the FBI director, Christopher Wray said.

China has responded to the charges, saying it had lodged “stern representations” with Washington.

“We urge the US side to immediately correct its erroneous actions and cease its slanderous smears relating to internet security,” Chinese officials said.