BEIJING: China expressed “resolute opposition” and “strong dissatisfaction” with a new US cyber-espionage rule limiting imports of Chinese-made information technology products, state media reported yesterday.
The remarks underscore growing tension between the world’s top two economies after the United States accused China of backing a string of hacking attacks on US companies and government agencies. China says the accusation lacks proof and that it is also a victim of hacking attacks, more than half of which originate from the United States.
The new provision, tucked into a funding bill signed into law on Thursday, requires Nasa, as well as the Justice and Commerce Departments, to seek approval from federal law enforcement officials before buying information technology systems from China.
The US imports about $129bn worth of “advanced technology products” from China, according to a May 2012 report by the US Congressional Research Service.
State media including Xinhua, the China Daily and the People’s Daily, quoted a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce as saying the US bill “sends a very wrong signal”. “This will directly impact partnerships of Chinese enterprises and American business as they conduct regular trade,” said Shen Danyang, the commerce ministry spokesman.
“This abuse of so-called national security measures is unfair to Chinese enterprises, and extends the discriminatory practice of presumption of guilt,” the article in the official People’s Daily said, quoting Shen.
Reuters
