Relations between the two countries are deteriorating / China accuses the US of cyber attacks

2025-10-19 15:05:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Relations between the two countries are deteriorating / China accuses the US of

China has accused the United States of carrying out cyberattacks on the national time center in Beijing, attacks that it says could have caused serious damage to critical financial and telecommunications infrastructure.

Beijing has stepped up espionage warnings in recent years as relations with the United States and other Western countries have deteriorated.

Chinese authorities claimed to have found "irrefutable evidence" of efforts by the US National Security Agency (NSA) to hack the National Time Service Center between 2022 and 2024, according to a statement published on the official WeChat account of the Ministry of State Security.

This center is responsible for coordinating clocks across the country, which are used by everything from computer servers, railway stations, and power grids.

The Chinese ministry accused the NSA of exploiting vulnerabilities in the messaging service of an unidentified foreign mobile phone brand in order to steal the passwords of time center employees.

The attacks, according to the ministry, could have jeopardized energy networks, transportation and even space launches.

Chinese authorities have stated that they have since "broken the attack chains, improved defensive measures, and eliminated potential threats."

"In recent years, the US has aggressively pursued cyber hegemony, consistently violating international cyberspace rules," the Chinese ministry said.

She urged Chinese citizens to be vigilant against foreign attacks and report suspicious activities to authorities.

Western countries have accused hacking groups, said to be backed by China, of carrying out a global cyber espionage campaign against figures critical of Beijing, democratic institutions and companies in various sensitive sectors.

Washington said last year that a Chinese state-sponsored actor was behind a cyberattack on the US Treasury Department. At the time, Beijing called the allegations "baseless." /REL