\u200bChina shot back at accusations by the US and its allies that Beijing was behind a series of ransomware attacks and the hacking of Microsoft\u2019s \u2026<\/b>
\nChina shot back at accusations by the US and its allies that Beijing was behind a series of ransomware attacks and the hacking of Microsoft\u2019s email server this spring, dismissing the charge as \u201cmade up out of thin air\u201d and claiming that America \u201cis the world champion of malicious cyber attacks.\u201d \u201cThe United States ganged up with its allies to make unwarranted accusations against Chinese cybersecurity,\u201d China\u2019s foreign ministry spokesman Z hao Lijian said Tuesday. \u201cThis was made up out of thin air and confused right and wrong. It is purely a smear and suppression with political motives.\u201d \u201cChina will never accept this,\u201d Zhao threatened. The White House on Monday said the FBI and the National Security Agency have \u201chigh confidence\u201d that Beijing\u2019s Ministry of State Security contracted with hackers who used vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Exchange Server to carry out the cyberattacks in April, as well as conducting a campaign of ransomware attacks against private companies \u201cfor their own personal profit.\u201d The US was joined by Britain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, NATO and the European Union to expose China\u2019s \u201cmalicious cyber activities,\u201d the White House said in a statement, noting that this is the first time NATO has criticized China\u2019s cyber activities. The Chinese embassy in New Zealand called the claims \u201ctotally groundless and irresponsible.\u201d T he embassy in Australia accused Canberra of \u201cparroting the rhetoric of the US.\u201d \u201c It is well known that the US has engaged in unscrupulous, massive and indiscriminate eavesdropping on many countries including its allies,\u201d the embassy said. \u201c It is the world champion of malicious cyber attacks. \u201d Also on Monday, the Justice Department announced charges against four Chinese nationals who were working with the Ministry of State Security to hack into the computer systems of dozens of companies, universities and government entities in the US and abroad between 2011 and 2018. \u201cThe indictment\u2026 alleges that much of the conspiracy\u2019s theft was focused on information that was of significant economic benefit to China\u2019s companies and commercial sectors, including information that would allow the circumvention of lengthy and resource-intensive research and development processes,\u201d the Justice Department said. The Chinese foreign ministry called for Washington to drop charges against the four. \u201cChina firmly opposes and combats any form of cyberattacks, and will not encourage, support or condone any cyberattacks,\u201d Zhao said. He went on to accuse the CIA of hacking China\u2019s aerospace research facilities, oil industry, internet companies and government agencies in attacks that \u201cseverely compromised \u201d national security. \u201cChina once again strongly demands that the United States and its allies stop cyber theft and attacks against China, stop throwing mud at China on cybersecurity issues and withdraw the so-called prosecution,\u201d he said. \u201cChina will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard China\u2019s cybersecurity and interests.\u201d<\/p>\n