US Demands China Stop Cyberattacks

In the wake of China’s refusal to take responsibility for a series of cyberattacks on American corporations and government agencies, U.S. National Security Adviser Tom Donilon publicly confronted the Chinese government for the first time on Monday, demanding that the Asian nation stop stealing American data.

Donilon’s remarks came days after China’s foreign minister, Yang Jiechi dismissed evidence that China’s military is behind a series of cyberattacks in the U.S., reports The New York Times.

“Increasingly, U.S. businesses are speaking out about their serious concerns about sophisticated, targeted theft of confidential business information and proprietary technologies through cyberintrusions emanating from China on an unprecedented scale,” Donilon said during a speech to the Asia Society in New York.

“The international community,” he added, according to the Times, “cannot tolerate such activity from any country.”

In refusing to take responsibility for the cyberattacks, Yang told reporters that the case against China’s military has been built on “shaky” ground.

“Anyone who tries to fabricate or piece together a sensational story to serve a political motive will not be able to blacken the name of others nor whitewash themselves,” he said.

The U.S. is seeking to have China publicly recognize the urgency of the problem, provide a commitment to crack down on hackers in China, and to participate in the development of global standards against cyberattacks.