China has accused the US National Security Agency (NSA) of carrying out "highly sophisticated" cyberattacks during the Asian Winter Games held in Harbin in February. According to the Harbin Public Security Bureau, the attacks targeted critical sectors in Heilongjiang province, including energy, transportation, water resources, communications and research institutions related to national defense. Reuters reports.
According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, the investigation allegedly identified three NSA agents who were directly involved in operations against China — Catherine A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson. They were put on the wanted list. The Chinese side claims that these individuals repeatedly attacked key information infrastructure and participated in operations against major Chinese companies, including Huawei.
In addition, Chinese authorities mentioned the University of California and Virginia Polytechnic Institute as participants in the cyberattacks, although they did not provide details about their involvement. According to the official statement, the purpose of the NSA's actions is to destabilize the situation in China, sow social instability, and obtain confidential data.
As of press time, the US Embassy in China had not officially commented on the allegations. China's statement could heighten tensions between the two countries, especially amid the ongoing battle for cybersecurity and technological superiority.