Ms. Zeng Rong, Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, recently wrote a letter to the Financial Times about the unjustified comments carried in latter’s report on the Belt and Road. The Financial Times published the letter on 30 August 2018. The full text of the letter is as follows:

You quote (August 16) a report by US cyber security company FireEye accusing China of using the Belt and Road Initiative for spying and claiming that the project “could present a cyber threat”. I disagree with such unwarranted and misleading claims.

China itself is a victim of cyber attacks. The Chinese government firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber attacks in accordance with law. China maintains close co-operation with the international community, including the British government, on combating cyber crime and upholding cyber security.

Following the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, as well as adhering to openness, transparency and high standards, the BRI aims to achieve a win-win common development. The countries and people along the route are the best judge of the BRI co-operation. Attempts to discredit the BRI using rumours of China spying are doomed to fail.