Global Times: According to reports, Beijing-based Qi An Pangu Lab released a report on February 23. It found that Equation, the hacking group under the US National Security Agency (NSA), has been creating a top-of-the-line backdoor and conducting a decade-long cyberattack operation called ‘Telescreen’ (Bvp47) against 45 countries and regions, including China, Russia, Japan, the ROK, India, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Thailand, Egypt and Brazil. The operation covers such industries as communications, universities, research institutions, economic and military sectors. Some of the attacks even use Japan as a springboard to attack other countries. As we understand, this is the first time that a Chinese cybersecurity lab has publicly exposed the complete chain of technical evidence about the cyberattack launched by the NSA. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: We noted relevant news reports and the technical report. We express grave concern over the irresponsible, malicious cyber activities exposed by the report and strongly urge the US to offer an explanation and immediately stop such activities. China will take necessary measures to uphold China’s cybersecurity and interests.

According to the report, Equation, a hacking group affiliated with the NSA, has conducted cyber attacks against Chinese communications, scientific research departments and economic sectors for more than a decade. Previously, Chinese cybersecurity company 360 also released a report to expose that APT-C-39, a cyberattack organization of the US government, has launched large-scale attacks on China, which could cause serious leak of massive personal information and data, business secrets and intellectual property and undermine the security of China’s critical infrastructure. It is worth noticing that relevant attacks date back to as early as 2005, and last until 2015 and beyond. We cannot help but ask whether the US is sincere about implementing the consensus on cybersecurity reached with China in 2015. 

The US intelligence law allows the US government to carry out massive and indiscriminate information and data theft including on its allies. Edward Snowden and Wikileaks have exposed how the US government engaged in large-scale surveillance and theft of secrets all around the world. The revelations from this report show that besides China and other major developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the US doesn’t even spare its allies and partners, and its cyberattacks even cover its European allies, its fellow members of the Quad and the Five Eyes. At present, the US is actively seeking bilateral and multilateral cybersecurity cooperation globally in the name of helping other countries to improve capability. One cannot help but wonder what is its real intention.

Cyberspace is a shared homeland for humanity and cybersecurity is a common challenge faced by all countries. We hope the US will take a responsible attitude and uphold peace and security in cyberspace through dialogue and cooperation with all parties.