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Rep. Frank Wolf Thanks FBI for Five Indictments of Chinese Army Computer Hackers

May 19, 2014

Rep. Frank Wolf Thanks FBI for Five Indictments of Chinese Army Computer Hackers


WOLF STATEMENT ON INDICTMENT OF FIVE CHINESE MILITARY OFFICERS ACCUSED OF HACKING INTO U.S. COMPANIES TO STEAL TRADE SECRETS

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), for years one of the most outspoken members of Congress warning of the threat - and consequences - of cyber espionage by the Chinese government, today released the following statement regarding the indictment of five Chinese military officers charged with hacking into a number of U.S. companies to steal trade secrets and other information:

"The indictment of five Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) officers today for cyber espionage against several U.S. companies is a landmark first step towards ensuring accountability for the loss of untold billions, which has cost American jobs and undermined our economic competitiveness.

"While it is unlikely that arrests will be made, these charges send a clear signal to the Chinese government that the U.S. will no longer turn a blind eye to its unprecedented espionage campaigns.

"Moreover, these indictments should put to rest, once and for all, any public doubt about how the Chinese government, PLA and Chinese state-owned companies collaborate to steal trade secrets, research and technology. Today's announcement is just the tip of the iceberg of the unbelievable scope of the Chinese government's theft of technology and trade secrets from U.S. companies, labs, universities and government agencies.

"For nearly a decade, I have been speaking out about the growing threat from Chinese espionage, which has had devastating consequences for both our economy and national security. My office was the victim of Chinese cyber espionage in 2006, when a number of my staff's computers were compromised along with a number of other House offices and committees. In 2008, over the objections of the Justice Department, I went to the House floor to public identify to disclose these Chinese cyber attacks to raise public awareness of the threat.

"As chairman of the House Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations subcommittee, which funds the FBI and Justice Department, I have prioritized resources - often above the president's budget request - to grow and improve U.S. cyber forensics and counterintelligence capabilities. I also have worked to restrict access to U.S. networks by Chinese state-owned and state-directed companies, like Huawei and ZTE, and restrict technology transfer between the NASA and the Chinese space program, which is run by the PLA - the very people charged today for espionage.

"I applaud the men and women of the FBI and Justice Department for their efforts to bring these cyber espionage cases to light, and hope that this is just the beginning of U.S. efforts to ensure accountability and demonstrate to the Chinese government that there are consequences for their systematic, criminal behavior.

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