China Admits to Cyberattacks on U.S. Infrastructure, Citing Taiwan Support as Motive

In a secret December meeting, Chinese officials acknowledged state-backed hacking campaigns targeting critical U.S. infrastructure, interpreted as a warning against aiding Taiwan.

Chinese officials admitted responsibility for cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure during a secret December 2024 meeting in Geneva with U.S. representatives.
The attacks, part of the 'Volt Typhoon' campaign, targeted sectors such as water utilities, ports, electrical grids, and telecommunications networks.
China linked the cyberattacks to U.S. military and political support for Taiwan, signaling potential consequences for continued backing of the island nation.
U.S. officials viewed the admission as a strategic warning, escalating tensions in the already fraught U.S.-China relationship over Taiwan's sovereignty.
The acknowledgment marks a shift from China's previous denials, with Beijing's actions seen as part of a long-running strategy to pre-position cyber capabilities in critical systems.