China has dismissed US claims hackers procured blueprints for America’s most advanced weaponry. Beijing stated the allegations underestimate the Chinese people’s intellect and that China is perfectly capable of producing its own weapons.
A US Science Board report leaked this week alleged the Chinese hackers had obtained access to the designs of two dozen major US weapons systems in what amounted to “billions of dollars of combat advantage to China.”
The Washington Post, who saw a copy of the report, intimated that such information could be used by the Chinese government to speed up the development of their military. An unnamed official told the Post that China had saved themselves “25 years of research and development” by stealing the plans.
Beijing reacted with ire, with Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng dismissing the report as ridiculous.
“It both underestimates the Pentagon’s defensive security abilities and the Chinese people’s intelligence,” said Geng in a news briefing.
The White House has accused Beijing repeatedly of hack attacks on US government and military systems. At the beginning of May the US Department of Defence formally condemned Chinese cyber-attacks, “some of which appear to be attributable directly to the Chinese government and military.”
The issue of cyber warfare has been a significant bone of contention in Sino-American relations lately, although Beijing has refuted all claims of cyber-attack on the US. Chinese President Xi Jingping is in America this week, where he will conduct talks with his American counterpart Barack Obama.
Cyber security is expected to be at the top of the agenda, as well as China’s growing military might and its claim on disputed territory in the East China Sea.
