Chinese Government Hackers Breached U.S. Treasury Office
U.S. Treasury Disclosed Cyberattack Earlier This Week
Chinese government hackers breached the U.S. Treasury office that administers economic sanctions, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, identifying targets of a cyberattack that Treasury disclosed earlier this week.
Targets of the Cyberattack
Citing unnamed U.S. officials, the Washington Post said hackers compromised the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Office of Financial Research and also targeted the office of U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
Treasury Department’s Response
The department earlier this week disclosed in a letter to lawmakers that hackers stole unclassified documents in a "major incident." It did not specify which users or departments were affected.
Chinese Embassy’s Response
Asked about the paper’s report, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said the "irrational" U.S. claim was "without any factual basis" and represented "smear attacks" against Beijing.
China’s Response
The statement said China "combats all forms of cyberattacks" and did not directly address the Washington Post’s reporting on specific targets.
Treasury Department’s Response to Request for Comment
The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the newspaper report.
Washington Post’s Reporting
The Washington Post quoted its sources as saying that a top area of interest for the Chinese government would be Chinese entities that the U.S. government may be considering designating for financial sanctions.
U.S. Sanctions on Chinese Firms and Individuals
Chinese firms, individuals and entities have been a frequent target for U.S. sanctions, which Washington has used as a key tool in its foreign policy towards Beijing.
U.S.-China Relations
The United States considers China its biggest foreign policy challenge, and last month Yellen told Reuters that Washington would not rule out sanctions on Chinese banks as it seeks to reduce Russia’s oil revenue and access to foreign supplies to fuel its war in Ukraine.
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