Global Times: Today, the Wuhan Municipal Emergency Management Bureau issued a public statement and the Wuhan Public Security Bureau put up a bulletin. According to them, the Wuhan Earthquake Monitoring Center suffered a cyber attack, which was detected by China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and Chinese company 360. Global Times reported that preliminary evidence indicates that the cyber attack had come from the US. What is your comment?

Mao Ning: According to the statements from relevant Chinese agencies, a hacker group with overseas government background launched a cyber attack on the Wuhan Earthquake Monitoring Center, which is a serious threat to China’s national security.

We condemn the irresponsible attack. China will do what is necessary to safeguard our cybersecurity.

China Daily: Lately, US officials, including National Security Advisor, Secretary of State, Secretary of Commerce and spokesperson for the White House National Security Council have commented on the so-called “Chinese cyber attacks against the US”. Officials from the US National Security Agency even said that espionage is what nation-states do. Are the statements released today by relevant Chinese agencies a response to US remarks?

Mao Ning: The statements from China are objective and professional. They simply stated a fact. This is inherently different from the accusation and smear against China from the US. The US government is engaged in malicious cyber operations against not just China but countries around the world, while blaming China for so-called “hacking attacks.” This is textbook double standards and political manipulation.

Cybersecurity is a common challenge. By politicizing and weaponizing cybersecurity issues, the US is disrupting the global effort of jointly addressing the challenge through dialogue and cooperation and hampering the mutual trust among countries. The US needs to immediately stop its wrongdoing and work with the rest of the world to develop common rules through dialogue and cooperation and observe these rules, and safeguard peace, security and stability in cyberspace with a constructive and pragmatic attitude.