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China promises Web security improvements following alleged US hack

The Chinese government said on Thursday that alleged hacking by the US lays "bare the US hypocrisy and despotic rule.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger

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China will take its security measures to the next level to protect against alleged US hacking, the government revealed on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said that his country will bolster its anti-hacking security measures in an effort to combat alleged US-based hacking attempts. The spokesman added that the hacking attempts "lay bare the US hypocrisy and despotic rule."

Last weekend, The New York Times and German magazine Der Spiegel reported that the US hacked into Huawei Technologies servers to spy on the company and China. The claim came from documents provided to the publications by famed leaker Edward Snowden. For its part, the US has not commented on the leaks, but has said that it won't hack into foreign company networks for commercial gain.

Earlier this week, the Chinese government expressed outcry over the reports, condemning the alleged actions.

For years, the US has argued that China is waging a surreptitious cyberwar, hacking into US organizations whenever possible. The recent reports gave the Chinese government the political cover it needed to rail against the US and its own alleged hacking activities.

"For a while now, some Americans have jabbered on and on, condemning Chinese hacking attacks," Geng said, according to Reuters, which was in attendance at the briefing. "But the truth is that this is without any basis in fact, it's simply a thief crying 'Stop, thief!'"

China didn't say what enhanced security measures it'll bring to corporate and government servers.