China accuses US of cyber instability and criticizes military actions

This Monday (2) China accused the United States of promoting instability in cyberspace and once again criticized the military actions carried out by Washington abroad. The statements were made by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning during a press conference in Beijing.

Asked about reports that the US Department of Defense was in negotiations with artificial intelligence companies to develop tools capable of mapping China’s electrical grids and other sensitive infrastructure, Mao stated that the US “has long been the main source of instability in cyberspace”.

According to the spokeswoman, Washington was already carrying out cyber attacks and pre-positioning actions against critical Chinese infrastructure even before the advancement of artificial intelligence technologies. She stated that the Chinese government has expressed “deep concern” to the United States through diplomatic channels and that it will take “all necessary measures” to guarantee the country’s digital security.

In the diplomatic field, Mao confirmed that Beijing maintains communication with Washington about possible interactions between heads of state, including a possible visit by American President Donald Trump to China later this month. However, he stated that there is no additional information to disclose at this time.

The spokesperson also denied international reports that indicated a possible agreement for the sale of Chinese anti-ship missiles to Iran. According to her, the information “is not true” and is part of an attempt at undue association and dissemination of disinformation.

When asked about possible prior contacts with the United States before the recent military offensive against Iran, Mao stated that China was not informed in advance about the operation.