WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Thursday accused two Chinese nationals with ties to China’s security apparatus of infiltrating commercial and government computer systems, including a Department of Energy lab, in an ongoing effort to advance Beijing’s economic and geopolitical interests. The indictment comes as the United States is preparing to join with several allies and trading partners in a collective rebuke of China’s attempts to obtain trade secrets and intellectual property through a state-coordinated cyberespionage campaign, according to people with knowledge of the plan. The allegations highlight the ongoing tension between the United States and China over what the White House says is a brazen effort by the Chinese to gather technology and other proprietary information using cyberattacks and espionage. The Trump administration is pushing on several fronts to stop Beijing’s practice of pressuring, coercing or stealing intellectual property, including pursuing criminal charges and restricting Chinese students and investment in the United States. It is also trying to get Beijing to agree to change its practices through trade talks, an effort that is expected to get even more complicated as the administration continues leveling charges against Chinese nationals and as it engages in tough rhetoric toward Beijing.

Source: New York Times December 20, 2018 15:26 UTC