Tensions between the United States and China continue to grow as the two mega economies resume alleged cyber warfare exhibitions and research pointed toward each other.
This Week on the US-China Cyberconflict
On Sept. 1, The US government proposed and is now enforcing a new policy restricting the export of advanced computer chips required for supercomputers and artificial intelligence to China and Russia. Just yesterday, Sept. 5, China revealed that the National Security Agency (NSA) was discovered to be carrying out a series of network attacks pointed at a Chinese research university.
Washington is yet to comment on these recent statements from the PRC. These developments follow a string of nation-state cyberweapon leaks and hacking committed by the same two countries against each other traced back to 2016 and 2019.
China Says NSA Spied on Xi'an Research University
A report from PCMAG tells us that the NSA allegedly gained computer access at a research institution in the city of Xi'an, according to evidence that the Chinese government claims to possess.
In 2016, Chinese analysts discomfited the same spying committed by the NSA by allegedly repurposing them to attack American allies and private companies in Europe and Asia. A 2019 New York Times report informs us that the incident is the most significant proof that the United States no longer has control over crucial components of its cybersecurity arsenal at the time.
In the third quarter of 2022, China and the US seem to be rekindling this past conflict by throwing accusations after accusations forward. Earlier, Washington pointed its fingers at Beijing over the speculations of deliberate commercial secrets theft and went an extra mile by announcing criminal charges against a handful of Chinese military organizations.
As recent developments unfold, an AP News report informs us that Northwestern Polytechnical University claims that it discovered NSA-backed network attacks in June targetting research institutions. Furthermore, China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center revealed, in cooperation with commercial cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360, that the attacks are traced back to the NSA through various decoy servers worldwide.
China Condemns Recent US-backed Cyberattacks
In response to the incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expressed that the NSA's recent cyber-espionage efforts "seriously endanger China's national security." Mao also revealed that US authorities are behind exertions to spy on Chinese mobile phones and steal private text messages. "China strongly condemns it," Mao added.
As tensions between the two countries seem to develop when several global conflicts are also occurring, it could be dangerous if these back-and-forth pokings translate to other forms of aggression later on. "The United States should immediately stop using its advantages to steal secrets and attack other countries," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson shoots a message for Washington.
Meanwhile, Northwestern Polytechnical University has been listed by US authorities to have links with the Chinese Communist Party's armed wing. It has been developing drone and missile technologies for the Liberation Army. Earlier this year, a Chinese national pleaded guilty to a Boston court for smuggling US military tech into China.
