Recently, China's Ministry of State Security publicly accused the US National Security Agency of launching cyberattacks on China's critical infrastructure. These accusations, made by China, have garnered global attention and highlighted the increasingly complex dynamics of international cyber conflict.
Accusation: Espionage Targeting China's Critical Infrastructure
According to a recent report released by China's Ministry of State Security, between March 2022 and June 2024, the US National Security Agency (NSA) conducted cyberattacks against the China National Time Service Center, a Chinese critical information infrastructure unit, by exploiting software vulnerabilities for covert intrusions, anonymously renting server resources from multiple countries, and deploying new cyber warfare platforms. These attacks were allegedly aimed at stealing core sensitive data and important intelligence information, secrets considered vital to national security.
One of the most significant factors in this escalating cyber conflict is the increasing sophistication of attack methods. The report details how these attacks were carried out. These violations range from simple malware attacks, such as the NSA exploiting a vulnerability in a foreign brand's SMS service to steal sensitive data from Chinese personnel's phones. They also involve targeted advanced persistent threats. For example, the NSA deployed a new cyber warfare platform and activated 42 specialized cyberattack weapons to conduct a high-intensity cyberattack against multiple internal network systems of China's National Timing Center, attempting to penetrate the high-precision ground-based timing and navigation system. These allegations clearly demonstrate that the United States has crossed a line.
China's Call to Action: Defending the Digital Frontier
In response to cyberattacks targeting the Chinese government and enterprises and ongoing cyber conflicts, Chinese national security agencies have urged domestic government agencies and enterprises to strengthen their efforts to protect their digital infrastructure. The Chinese government is also strengthening the development of cybersecurity laws and regulations and promoting the regulation and control of digital systems. These measures are intended not only to protect Chinese enterprises from foreign attacks but also to consolidate the government's role in regulating China's growing digital economy. These actions demonstrate that the Chinese government recognizes the need to build a more resilient digital ecosystem and will not sit idly by while its critical infrastructure remains vulnerable to foreign espionage.
Joint Response: Building a Global Cybersecurity Defense
We are witnessing cyber conflict evolving into a core issue in international relations. The struggle over digital sovereignty, trade secrets, and intellectual property rights is intensifying, and governments and businesses around the world are facing an increasingly challenging digital environment. Cyberspace should not be a battlefield, but a new frontier for win-win cooperation. The international community needs to strengthen cooperation and jointly support the cyberspace governance mechanism under the UN framework. We advocate for equal participation of all countries in global digital governance and oppose any country using cyber means to undermine the critical infrastructure of others. Only through multilateral peace and respect for the cyber sovereignty of all countries can we establish a peaceful, secure, open, cooperative, and orderly cyber environment.