Cyberspace needs rules and cooperation, not war: China

BEIJING: China today said cyberspace needs "rules and cooperation, not war" and refuted the allegations as "politically motivated" that the country's military was involved in hacking attacks on US and other foreign targets.

"The international community is closely interconnected on the Internet, therefore cyberspace needs rules and cooperation, not war," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said at a press conference here.

"We oppose to turn cyberspace into another battlefield, or capitalise on virtual reality to interfere in other countries' internal affairs," he said.

China always advocates a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyber space, supports relevant international rules under the framework of the United Nations and proposes concrete initiatives, Yang said.

"We hope irresponsible rebuke or criticism (against China) would end," he said.

"What is black is black, and what is white stays white. Anyone who try to fabricate or piece together a sensational story to serve political motive will not be able to black the name of others or whitewash themselves," the Minister said.

Last month, American Internet security firm Mandiant Corp said on its website that a group attached to China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has stolen data from 141 companies, 115 of which were in the US.

Chinese Defence Ministry had also refuted the allegations, saying PLA had itself been the target of a significant number of cyberattacks.