Photo: VCG

In response to a US media report, which claimed that Chinese officials had hinted to US officials that Beijing was behind cyberattacks on US infrastructure and linked them to increasing US policy support for Taiwan island, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday's press briefing that such report distorted facts and spreads false information.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Chinese officials had acknowledged that "Beijing was behind a widespread series of alarming cyberattacks on US infrastructure." The report claimed that the Chinese delegation linked years of "intrusions into computer networks at US ports, water utilities, airports and other targets, to increasing US policy support for Taiwan island." The US media report also mentioned "Volt Typhoon" hacking efforts into the critical infrastructure. 

Regarding the so-called "Volt Typhoon" incident, Lin said China has repeatedly rejected US' baseless and unreasonable accusations in various occasions, and has presented investigative findings from Chinese cybersecurity agencies, which point out that the incident was a smear campaign orchestrated by US intelligence services to discredit China. 

Lin emphasized that China has made it clear on many occasions that it firmly opposes the US using cybersecurity issues to interfere in China's internal affairs, and that Washington's attempts to "use Taiwan to contain China" are doomed to fail. 

China has conveyed serious concerns to the US through multiple channels regarding the US government's authorization of the Department of Defense to conduct overseas cyberattacks, US' cyberattacks to China's critical infrastructure, and cyber military cooperation with Taiwan island, Lin said. 

The spokesperson also called on the US to adopt a responsible attitude and avoid miscalculations. China will take all necessary measures to safeguard its cybersecurity, Lin said.