China’s Denial
For its part, China denies the charges and calls them reckless.
“Without adequate investigation and without further evidence, accusing China of carrying out cyber-attacks against U.S. companies is not only unprofessional but also irresponsible,” says China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei when asked about the accusations in a television interview with CNBC. Lei said that China too is a victim of cyber-theft attacks and point to his country’s efforts to stop them anywhere they happen.“We actively promote the resolutions to attacks that threaten cross border Internet security,” Lei went on to say. “In 2010, we joined hands with Microsoft to crack down on the botnet, Waledac, and in 2011, after successfully taking down Waledac, we effectively cracked down on the botnet, Rustock. We take a firm stance on continuously playing an active role in international cooperation.”