Chinese media slams US ‘double standards’

‘We should encourage organisations and individuals whose rights have been infringed to stand up and sue Washington’

China’s state media has blasted the United States for indicting five Chinese army officers on alleged cyber theft.

The Communist Party-run Global Times in an angry editorial on Wednesday hit out at what it described as Washington’s double standards on the issue, citing its own surveillance programme as exposed by former contractor Edward Snowden.

Snowden files

“The materials disclosed by Snowden showed that the U.S. hacked into China’s backbone networks, universities, government departments and other organs.

“And the White House still owes an apology to Beijing…Therefore the U.S. is acting so shameless by posting photos of the five Chinese army officers,” the editorial said.

China has responded to the indictment by summoning the U.S. envoy here and also suspending the Cyber Working Group mechanism between both countries. Underlining China’s anger at the move, a government official on Wednesday also cancelled a scheduled appearance at an event hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce.

Further action sought

The

Global Times called for “further actions.”

“Beijing has published U.S. computer attacks on China’s networks, which, however, lack detailed information except figures,” the newspaper said. “We should encourage organisations and individuals whose rights have been infringed to stand up and sue Washington.