Beijing Responds to US and UK Sanctions on Cyberattacks, Denouncing Political Interference

Beijing criticized the United States and the United Kingdom for imposing sanctions related to alleged Chinese government-backed cyberattacks. The Chinese government described the actions of the Western allies as "political manipulation."

On Monday, the US and the UK announced criminal charges and sanctions against seven Chinese hackers. These hackers were accused of carrying out extensive attacks on behalf of China's civilian intelligence agency.

A yearslong campaign targeted American officials, senators, journalists, and companies, including Pentagon contractors. It also affected British parliamentarians, the UK’s election watchdog, and members of the European Parliament, impacting millions of people.

On Tuesday, New Zealand accused state-sponsored Chinese hackers of launching “malicious cyber activity” against their parliament in 2021.

Accusations of cyber espionage have been a significant source of tension between Beijing and Washington, with the US charging several Chinese hackers in the past few years.

Recent public statements from three members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance indicate that major Western democracies are uniting to combat what they see as excessive hacking and espionage activities by Beijing.

China's Foreign Ministry criticized the US and the UK at a news conference on Tuesday, accusing them of exaggerating China's cyberattacks. Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian called it political manipulation and stated that China strongly disapproves and opposes it. China has also lodged formal complaints with both countries.

Exterior view of the Northern side of the White House in Washington DC as seen from Lafayette Square park and Pennsylvania Avenue. The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States of America (POTUS). It has been the home of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. The residence was designed by architect James Hoban in the neoclassical style. Outside the North side, there is a fountain on the lawn, and the executive residence features a columned portico. Secret Service police officers with cars and dogs patrol and guard the building as many tourists visit daily.

The American flag is flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the tragedy in Allen, Texas, and to show respect for all victims of violence. This photo was taken on May 8, 2023, in Washington DC, USA. (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via AP)

Exterior view of the Northern side of the White House in Washington DC as seen from Lafayette Square park and Pennsylvania Avenue. The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States of America POTUS and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. The residence was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban in the neoclassical architecture style. Outside of the the North side is a fountain in the lawn, the executive residence northern facade is with a columned portico. Secret Service police with cars and dogs are patrolling and guarding the building as many tourists visit the location daily. The American flag is flown at half-staff honoring the victims of the tragedy in Allen, Texas and respect for the victims of violence. Washington DC, USA on May 8, 2023 (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via AP)

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The Biden administration has indicted and sanctioned Chinese hackers for their alleged involvement in a large-scale espionage campaign targeting US entities. In response, China has called on the US and UK to refrain from politicizing cybersecurity matters, spreading false information about China, imposing one-sided sanctions, and conducting cyberattacks against China.

The spokesperson did not talk about New Zealand.

Australia and the European Union also showed support for the UK and raised worries about China's suspected harmful online actions. Beijing is facing increased attention in a significant election year for democracies globally.

China is currently facing accusations and sanctions while also trying to navigate tensions and mend relationships with major Western countries. This comes at a time when China is dealing with various economic challenges, including a significant decrease in foreign investment.

On Tuesday, Beijing expressed its frustration through Lin, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson. Lin specifically pointed fingers at the US for allegedly encouraging the Five Eyes alliance to spread misinformation about the dangers posed by Chinese hackers, all for geopolitical reasons.

Liu Dongshu, an assistant professor specializing in Chinese politics at City University of Hong Kong, believes that the recent joint action by the US and its allies goes against Beijing's strategy of "divide and rule."

According to him, China has consistently aimed to create a rift between the US and other Western countries, including European nations and Australia. With the potential reelection of Donald Trump in mind, China sees an opportunity to further drive a wedge between them.

“But (the accusations) show that despite their differences, these countries remain united on many issues regarding China.”

‘Sensitive time’

The first time Britain has imposed sanctions on Chinese state-affiliated entities for alleged cyberattacks is against two Chinese nationals and a technology company in Wuhan. This action comes as Western intelligence agencies have been raising concerns about cyber threats in recent years.

Jonathan Sullivan, an associate professor and China specialist at the University of Nottingham, mentioned that this move by the UK can be seen as an escalation, especially since the country has been relatively lenient in its previous actions.

British cybersecurity officials have reported that in 2021, a Chinese state-backed hacking group called APT31 targeted British parliamentarians who openly criticized Beijing.

Furthermore, Chinese hackers are believed to have breached the UK’s Electoral Commission in both 2021 and 2022, gaining access to personal data of 40 million voters, as stated by British officials.

On Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to the APT31-related information submitted by the UK, stating that China had provided "technical clarification" and deeming the evidence presented as "insufficient" and "unprofessional."

According to Sullivan, a China expert at the University of Nottingham, the sanctions imposed on China come at a delicate moment for the UK. The country is currently in the midst of a general election and preparing for a surge of misinformation.

"Our economic ties with China are becoming more focused on security, covering areas like investment and data protection. For example, Britain has prohibited Chinese tech company Huawei from its 5G networks, as well as banned the use of Chinese surveillance company Hikvision's camera systems in sensitive locations.

In a separate incident last September, a British parliamentary researcher was apprehended under suspicion of espionage for China."

The sanctions may disrupt the improving UK-China relationship, which has been stable in the past year. This follows British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's approach to foreign policy, described as "robust pragmatism" by Sullivan.

Sullivan expressed his belief that China is likely to respond to the sanctions. He mentioned that China typically does not take such actions without retaliating.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNN’s Wayne Chang and Hilary Whiteman contributed to this story.

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