In a statement on Wednesday, February 7th, the Chinese embassy in the Netherlands asserted that China categorically prohibits any Chinese entities or individuals from engaging in unlawful activities such as cyberattacks or utilizing Chinese infrastructure for such purposes. The embassy's response came in light of a report by Dutch intelligence agencies, which claimed that Chinese state-affiliated cyber operatives infiltrated a Dutch military network last year. This marks the first instance of the Netherlands publicly attributing cyber espionage to China.
An embassy spokesperson emphasized, "China opposes unfounded accusations and speculative claims, advocating instead for collaborative efforts to uphold cybersecurity through dialogue and cooperation." These accusations are the latest in a series of claims by various countries alleging Chinese attempts to hack into sensitive information, with the Philippines announcing on Monday that it had thwarted an attack by Chinese hackers.
As per a Reuters report, the U.S. government has initiated an operation in recent months to combat a widespread Chinese hacking campaign that targeted thousands of internet-connected devices. The hacking group, Volt Typhoon, which is at the core of these recent activities, has raised significant concerns among intelligence officials. They assert that it forms part of a broader endeavor to infiltrate critical Western infrastructure, including naval ports, internet service providers, and utilities.
The Netherlands embassy spokesperson said the "Chinese government has always resolutely opposed and cracked down on all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law."