cyber security Photo: VCG

The US government on Tuesday announced sanctions targeting a Chinese cybersecurity company and one of its employees for alleged firewall compromise in April 2020. 

In response, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that China firmly rejects using unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction against Chinese entities and individuals.

The US Department of Treasury said in a statement on Tuesday that the Chengdu-based Sichuan Silence Information Technology Company and one of its employees, Guan Tianfeng, deployed software to break through more than 80,000 firewalls run by thousands of companies worldwide.

Guan was separately charged with conspiracy to commit computer and wire fraud, according to a Department of Justice indictment published on Tuesday. The US Department of State announced a reward offer of $10 million for information about Sichuan Silence or Guan. 

In response, Mao said on Wednesday that China has always opposed and fought all types of cyberattacks in accordance with the law. "We urge the US to stop using cybersecurity issues to smear and vilify China, and stop imposing illicit unilateral sanctions," Mao said. 

China will do what is necessary to protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens, she added. 

Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday that: "US' claims lack factual basis, and they continually shift the so-called subjects of infringement. Many of the information sources are anonymous and lack substantial support."

Recently, US media outlets once again made so-called allegation that Chinese hackers "may have gained access to systems used by federal authorities for court-approved eavesdropping" and "breached at least three major US telecommunications providers." 

In November, US authorities claimed that they had uncovered "a broad and significant" campaign carried out by hackers linked to China, dubbed Salt Typhoon, that targeted multiple telecommunications companies, according to media reports.

Responding to US accusations of Chinese "state-sponsored hackers," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated China's consistent position on cybersecurity on November 14. "We have no interest in interfering in other countries' internal affairs through cyberspace and oppose spreading China-related disinformation out of political agenda," Lin said.

Previous media reports revealed that the US deliberately fabricated evidence of cyberattacks to tarnish China's image, with the Volt Typhoon being a typical case exposing the truth behind the US' systematic cyberattack activities.