Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying. Photo: VCG

China firmly opposed the UK's irresponsible and groundless smear that the Chinese government is "sponsoring" hackers to carry out cyberattacks, a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, after the UK's foreign minister hyped up China's threat in global cyberspace in a speech on Wednesday.

The UK has been actively engaged in developing offensive cyber capabilities in recent years, which will undoubtedly increase the risk of conflict in global cyberspace, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying at Thursday's routine press conference. 

In fact, it is this kind of proactive action by the UK that poses the real threat to peace and security in global cyberspace, she stressed. 

Hua's remarks came after Dominic Raab, the UK foreign minister, said at a cybersecurity conference on Wednesday that the country would lead internationally and invest 22 million pounds in protecting the most vulnerable countries against cyber threats from China, Russia and others. 

He also mentioned the alleged hack on the Microsoft Exchange Server in March, which he claimed was carried out by "a state-sponsored group operating out of China."

Hua said such accusations and smears from the UK politician against China are extremely irresponsible and arbitrary, and made without any factual basis. 

"Politicizing and ideologizing cybersecurity will not help enhance cybersecurity. Instead, it will undermine mutual trust among countries and poison the atmosphere for international cooperation in the cyber field," she said. 

In April, a top cyber spy from the UK also claimed that the West needed to act urgently to ensure China does not dominate important emerging technologies and gain control of the "global operating system", reported Reuters. 

Cybersecurity is a common challenge facing the world and should be jointly safeguarded by all countries through dialogue and cooperation, she said.

She urged the UK to make positive contributions to maintaining peace, security and cooperation in cyberspace, rather than the opposite.

Global Times