The Chinese Ministry of Defense yesterday dismissed as ridiculous a US report that Chinese hackers have gained access to designs of more than two dozen major US weapons systems, saying the country needed no outside help for its military development.
The Washington Post cited a US Defense Science Board report as saying that the compromised US designs included those for combat aircraft and ships, as well as missile defenses vital for Europe, Asia and the Gulf.
Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesman Geng Yansheng (耿雁生) dismissed the report, which the Pentagon and other US defense officials have downplayed as outdated and overstated.
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“It both underestimates the Pentagon’s defensive security abilities and the Chinese people’s intelligence,” Geng told a monthly news briefing, according to a transcript on the ministry’s Web site (www.mod.gov.cn).
“China absolutely has the ability to build the weapons needed for national security,” he said.
“Recently, China’s aircraft carrier, new fighter jets and transport aircraft ... have clearly shown this,” he added.
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China routinely denies hacking allegations leveled at it.
US President Barack Obama will discuss cybersecurity with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) during a meeting in California next week, as Washington becomes increasingly worried about Chinese hacking of US military networks.
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