US indicts Chinese men on cyber-espionage | Journal

DW News

19 May 201401:30

Summary

TLDRThe U.S. has officially accused China of cyber espionage, with the attorney general stating that the administration will not tolerate such actions. Five members of the Chinese military are indicted for allegedly spying on six U.S. companies, including Westinghouse and Alcoa, to give Chinese companies an unfair market advantage. The Chinese Foreign Ministry denies the charges and warns of damaged U.S.-Chinese relations. The defendants, currently in China, are unlikely to be extradited.

Takeaways

🏢 The U.S. has officially accused China of cyber espionage in a court of law for the first time.
📜 Attorney General Eric Holder emphasized that the U.S. will not tolerate illegal actions that undermine fair competition.
🚨 The indictments are against five members of the Chinese military for allegedly spying on six U.S. companies.
⚖️ The case is seen as a wake-up call regarding the seriousness of ongoing cyber threats.
🏭 Among the targeted companies are Westinghouse, a nuclear power plant builder, and Alcoa, the largest American aluminum company.
🇨🇳 The U.S. claims that the alleged spying provided Chinese companies with unfair market advantages.
🇨🇳🚫 The Chinese Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the charges, stating that the case could harm U.S.-China relations.
🛡️ China asserts that it is a staunch defender of network security and has never engaged in online theft of trade secrets.
🔒 The charges against the six defendants could result in lengthy prison sentences.
🌏 The defendants are currently in China, and the U.S. acknowledges the low likelihood of their extradition.

Q & A

What is the main accusation made by the U.S. against China in the script?
-The U.S. has accused China of cyber espionage, specifically targeting American companies to gain an unfair advantage in the market.
Who made the official statement regarding the accusations?
-Attorney General Eric Holder made the official statement, declaring that the U.S. administration will not tolerate such actions.
What does the U.S. claim the Chinese spying has done to American companies?
-The U.S. claims that the alleged spying by China has undermined the integrity of fair competition and illegally sabotaged American companies.
How many members of the Chinese military were indicted in the case mentioned in the script?
-Five members of the Chinese military were indicted.
Which two U.S. companies are mentioned in the script as being allegedly spied upon?
-The script mentions Westinghouse, a nuclear power plant builder, and Alcoa, the largest American aluminum company, as two of the companies allegedly spied upon.
What is the Chinese Foreign Ministry's response to the charges as stated in the script?
-The Chinese Foreign Ministry quickly rejected the charges, stating that the case would harm U.S.-Chinese relations and asserting that China is a staunch defender of network security.
What does the script imply about the likelihood of the defendants being extradited?
-The script implies that there is virtually no chance of the defendants being extradited as they are all at large in China.
What potential consequence could the defendants face if found guilty?
-The charges against the defendants could carry decades in prison.
What is the broader implication of this case as suggested by the script?
-The script suggests that this case should serve as a wake-up call to the seriousness of the ongoing cyber threat.
How does the script describe the impact of the alleged spying on Chinese companies?
-The script indicates that the alleged spying gave Chinese companies unfair advantages in the market.
What is the script's stance on the relationship between the U.S. and China regarding this issue?
-The script presents a tense relationship between the U.S. and China, with the U.S. taking legal action and China denying the accusations.

Outlines

00:00

🔒 U.S. Officially Accuses China of Cyber Espionage

The U.S. has formally accused China of cyber espionage, marking the first time such allegations have been made in court. Attorney General Eric Holder declared that the U.S. will not tolerate any nation's attempts to illegally sabotage American companies and compromise fair competition. This case is a wake-up call regarding the severity of ongoing cyber threats. The indictments are against five members of the Chinese military, accused of spying on six U.S. companies, including Westinghouse, a nuclear power plant builder, and Alcoa, the largest American aluminum company. The U.S. claims that the alleged spying provided Chinese companies with unfair market advantages. The Chinese Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the charges, asserting that the case would damage U.S.-Chinese relations. They stated that China is a staunch defender of network security and that its government, military, and associated personnel have never engaged in online theft of trade secrets. The charges against the six defendants could result in decades of imprisonment, but as they are in China, the U.S. acknowledges the low likelihood of their extradition.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cyber spying

Cyber spying refers to the act of obtaining sensitive information through digital means, often involving unauthorized access to computer systems. In the context of the video, the U.S. accuses China of cyber spying, suggesting that Chinese military personnel have engaged in illicit activities to gain an advantage over American companies, which is a significant theme of the video.

💡Attorney General Eric Holder

The Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for representing the U.S. government in legal matters. Eric Holder, as mentioned in the script, is the one who made the accusations official, indicating a formal stance by the U.S. government against alleged cyber espionage activities.

💡Indictments

An indictment is a formal accusation of a crime, usually issued by a grand jury. In the video's narrative, the indictments are against five members of the Chinese military, marking a legal action taken by the U.S. to address what it perceives as illegal activities.

💡Chinese Military

The Chinese Military is the armed forces of the People's Republic of China. The video script alleges that members of this entity were involved in cyber espionage against U.S. companies, highlighting the geopolitical nature of the conflict and the involvement of state actors in cybercrimes.

💡Westinghouse

Westinghouse is a company mentioned in the script as one of the U.S. companies allegedly spied upon. It is a nuclear power plant builder, and its inclusion in the script underscores the significance of the industries targeted, which are critical to national infrastructure and economy.

💡Alcoa

Alcoa is identified as the largest American aluminum company in the script. It is one of the companies that were allegedly subjected to spying, indicating the breadth of industries affected and the potential economic implications of such espionage.

💡Unfair Advantages

Unfair advantages refer to benefits gained through illicit means that are not available to competitors. In the video, the U.S. claims that the alleged spying by Chinese entities provided such advantages to Chinese companies in the market, distorting fair competition.

💡Chinese Foreign Ministry

The Chinese Foreign Ministry is the department responsible for managing China's foreign affairs. In the script, it quickly rejects the charges, reflecting the diplomatic tensions and the defensive stance taken by China in response to the accusations.

💡Network Security

Network security pertains to the measures taken to protect a computer network from unauthorized access, theft of information, and other cyber threats. The Chinese Foreign Ministry's statement in the script emphasizes China's commitment to network security, suggesting a counter-narrative to the U.S. accusations.

💡Extradition

Extradition is the process by which one country surrenders a person accused or convicted of crime to another country that has jurisdiction over the crime. The script mentions that the defendants are at large in China and unlikely to be extradited, highlighting the legal and diplomatic challenges in prosecuting such cases.

Highlights

The U.S. has officially accused China of cyber spying in a court of law for the first time.

Attorney General Eric Holder asserts that the U.S. will not tolerate illegal sabotage of American companies.

The administration aims to protect the integrity of fair competition in the free market.

The case is a wake-up call regarding the seriousness of ongoing cyber threats.

Indictments are against five members of the Chinese military for alleged spying.

The accused are said to have spied on six U.S. companies.

Westinghouse, a nuclear power plant builder, and Alcoa, the largest American aluminum company, are among the targeted firms.

The U.S. claims the alleged spying provided Chinese companies with unfair market advantages.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the charges.

China stated that it is a staunch defender of network security and has never engaged in online theft of trade secrets.

The charges could result in decades of prison time for the six defendants.

All defendants are currently in China, and extradition is considered unlikely.

The case may potentially harm U.S.-Chinese relations.

The indictments mark a significant escalation in the U.S.'s approach to cyber espionage allegations.

The accused are part of a strategic effort to gain economic advantages through cyber espionage.

The U.S. is taking a firm stance against nation-state cyber threats to its businesses.

The case highlights the global nature of cyber espionage and its impact on international relations.

The U.S. is signaling a new era of accountability for cybercrimes committed by state actors.