'Demented' Hacking Charges Betray Washington's Scheme for Global Cyber Domination (Huanqiu, China)
Are charges
emanating from Washington that China's military is hacking U.S. entities just a
pretext for greater U.S. control of the Internet and the building of an
American 'cyber army'? According to this editorial from China's state-run Huanqiu, American charges of Chinese misconduct
are 'demented,' and designed to ensure U.S. online hegemony. Furthermore, they are
disingenuous, since America is almost single-handedly responsible for the
global spread of hacking.
According to U.S. cyber research company Mandiant, this nondescript Shanghai building houses 'Unit 61398', a secretive Chinese military unit that has been hacking U.S. enterprises and government agencies. Beijing denies the charges, but admires what it sees as a well-coordinated public relations attack by Mandiant and the White House.
Continuing allegations that a Chinese military unit is
behind cyber attacks against the American government and corporations are
absurd. And according to a Feb. 20 report from the Associated Press, the Obama Administration is considering fines and
trade sanctions in response. The United States has so beautifully planned this
performance that Chinese find it hard to understand exactly what Washington is
up to.
Most of the global network's root servers are located in
the United States. So in a certain sense, the "management" and
"supervision" of the Internet are in its hands. Furthermore, most of
the world's leading hackers are in the United States - and many of those are
seated precisely in the Pentagon. Has the U.S.-based global Internet suddenly
become so compromised, that it has to lie like a child about "cyber
attacks" from China?
The country with the most effective network security and
which can act as it pleases is the United States. It is the nation that makes
the rules, and it is the one that can most ably and publicly damage the
interests of other nations through the Internet. It was in the United States
that hackers first appeared, and they have worked with its government a great
deal, which is why from the beginning, America has had such an ambiguous
attitude toward them. This unspoken partnership has resulted in a global hacker
epidemic.
We don't doubt that China's military is prepared for a
cyber war. But we firmly believe that China will never act radically in this area.
To say that China's military would ignore right and wrong and violate American
networks like King Kong on an Internet rampage sounds to many Chinese like a
fairytale.
Therefore, based on simple logic, we consider these
accusations that China's military is engaged in hacking, which recklessly
assume who the responsible "officials and people" are, and who the
"bandits" are, to be a demented attempt by the United States to
establish Internet hegemony by putting the hat of the villain on China.
We also highly suspect that America's exaggerated claims
about the threat from Chinese hackers are aimed at manipulating public opinion
to accelerate its capacity to carry out a cyber war. It may even be using the China
cyber threat to create a pretext for its own future cyber attacks, both at home
and abroad. And it could use this pretext to raise the pressure on China at
little cost to itself.
In the past, China has been all too tolerant during
Internet disputes with the United States. Since Chinese tolerance has not been
reciprocated by the United States, it is time to drop such pretences. China must
collect and publish detailed evidence of American Internet violations, using
all possible channels to punish their wrongdoing. So far, the only basis the United
States has against Chinese firms and individuals is its own evidence, while
China has seldom introduced its own. This unfair state of affairs must come to
an end.
China also needs to follow the building of networks by
the United States, since the hyping of a China threat may be a way of
disguising the purpose of America's own operational capabilities. We must keep
a watchful eye on American intentions to set up cyber armies. China must take
firm action if America intends to boost its cyber war capabilities by
speculating about a China hacking threat. We have to pay attention. China is in
a disadvantageous position in terms of Internet capability. We have to reevaluate
our previously more passive attitude.
China has no fear of U.S. public clamor. Nor is it afraid
of any actions the U.S. government may take. Over the years, U.S. government
and public opinion interacted in such a way as to settle such matters
objectively. If that happens again, we will all be pleased and move on.
If Sino-U.S. relations are to be so drastically affected tales by cyber-security
firm Mandient about the victims of "Chinese
hackers," it shows the immaturity of bilateral relations. Let them
experience yet another baptismal storm. China has no obligation to foster ties
when the American people spit at them. Our entire society will work to
strengthen ourselves.
