China Denies Dutch Accusations of Espionage

Beijing condemned the Dutch government’s accusation of “Chinese governmental entities” conducting a spying campaign against the Netherlands as “baseless allegations,” according to the French news agency.

The Dutch military intelligence and security agency announced the discovery of malicious software planted in a computer network used by its army, attributing the responsibility to a Chinese governmental entity.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the two Dutch intelligence agencies known by their acronyms “MIVD” and “AIVD” stated that infiltrators deployed sophisticated malware that conceals its activities within the ministry’s network.

In a joint statement, the agencies mentioned, “China uses this type of malware to spy on computer networks, and the malicious software was specifically developed for Fortinet devices used by institutions as a protective wall for their systems, and the manufacturer, Fortinet, distributes this product worldwide.”

This marks the first time that the Netherlands has publicly accused China of involvement in electronic espionage amid increasing tensions related to national security between Beijing and The Hague, according to Reuters.

In response, the Chinese embassy in The Hague emphasized that Beijing “strongly opposes and combats cyber attacks in all forms according to the law.” The embassy added in a statement on its website: “We will not allow any country or individual to engage in such illegal activities using Chinese infrastructure.” The statement further asserted that “China opposes any malicious speculations and baseless accusations,” considering cybersecurity a “common challenge for all countries.”

The software was found in a non-secretive research and development network, according to Dutch intelligence.

The United States has deemed China as posing “the most extensive and active electronic espionage threat” to its government and private sector, according to the French news agency.

Last month, Washington claimed to have dismantled a China-based hacking network known as “Volt Typhoon” and accused it of breaching sensitive American infrastructure networks with the intention of disrupting them during conflicts.

Beijing rejected the allegations as “baseless,” citing what it termed a history of cyber espionage by the United States.