China Denies Cyberattack Allegations Linked to Taiwan Policy Support

In reaction to a US media report asserting that Chinese officials suggested Beijing was responsible for cyberattacks on American infrastructure, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed the claims during a press briefing on Friday. He stated that the report from The Wall Street Journal misrepresented the facts and propagated untrue information. The news article, published Thursday, claimed that Chinese officials admitted Beijing's involvement in a series of extensive cyberattacks on US infrastructure, linking these intrusions to the increasing support the US government has shown towards Taiwan.

Lin Jian specifically referenced the so-called "Volt Typhoon" hacking incidents, stressing that China has consistently dismissed what he termed as baseless and unreasonable accusations from the US. He highlighted that Chinese cybersecurity agencies have provided findings indicating that these incidents were part of a smear campaign orchestrated by US intelligence aimed at tarnishing China's reputation. The spokesperson reiterated China's longstanding position against the US using cybersecurity as a means to meddle in China's domestic affairs and stated that efforts by Washington to control China through Taiwan would ultimately be unsuccessful.

Furthermore, Lin conveyed that China has expressed serious apprehensions to the US regarding the Defense Department's endorsement of conducting overseas cyber operations, American cyber operations aimed at China's infrastructure, and military cyber collaborations with Taiwan. He urged the US to adopt a responsible approach to prevent miscalculations and reaffirmed that China is prepared to implement all necessary measures to protect its cybersecurity.