BEIJING: China on Sunday accused the United States of conducting prolonged cyberattacks on its National Time Service Centre, alleging that the breaches by the US National Security Agency (NSA) endangered the country’s critical infrastructure and national security.
The Ministry of State Security (MSS) said the attacks, which allegedly took place between 2022 and 2024, targeted the centre’s internal systems and staff devices.
The ministry warned that the breaches could have disrupted communication networks, financial systems, power supply, and even space launches.
Beijing warns of ‘cyber hegemony’
In a statement posted on its official WeChat account, the Ministry of State Security said the NSA had “carried out cyberattack operations over an extended period” on the National Time Service Centre, a key research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences that generates, maintains, and broadcasts China’s standard time.
The ministry claimed to have found “irrefutable evidence” linking the attacks to the NSA, accusing it of exploiting vulnerabilities in the messaging service of an unnamed foreign smartphone brand to steal data and credentials from the centre’s employees.
“The attacks could have jeopardised the functioning of China’s power grids, transport systems and even space missions,” the ministry said.
“Ironclad evidence proves that the United States is the true ‘hacker empire’ and the greatest source of chaos in cyberspace.”
Cyber operations and countermeasures
According to the Ministry of State Security, the US intelligence agency allegedly attempted to infiltrate the centre’s high-precision ground-based timing system in 2023 and 2024.
Chinese authorities said they had since “severed attack chains, upgraded protective measures, and eliminated potential threats”.
Beijing urged citizens and organisations to be vigilant against foreign cyberattacks and to report suspicious activity to national security agencies.
“In recent years, the United States has aggressively pursued cyber hegemony, repeatedly trampling on international cyberspace rules,” the ministry added.
Washington and Beijing have repeatedly traded accusations of state-sponsored cyber espionage in recent years, with each portraying the other as its main cyber threat.
The latest allegations come amid heightened tensions between the two powers, including disputes over trade, technology, and export controls.
Earlier this year, the United States accused a Chinese hacking group of targeting American government departments, including the Treasury. Beijing rejected those claims as “groundless”.
