Chinese government arrests cybercriminals at US request

For the first time, China has arrested multiple hackers in its own country at the request of the US government. The hackers were arrested sometime in September. The US suspects the hackers of corporate espionage on behalf of the Chinese state.

The arrests are part of a Chinese initiative to combat tensions between the two cyber-espionage superpowers. The US threatens economic sanctions against companies and individuals if China continues to attempt to hack into US government and business in the future. That writes The Washington Post on Friday. According to newspaper sources, the Chinese hacks cost American companies billions of dollars every year.

According to the US government, the question now is not only whether the hackers will actually appear in Chinese court, but also whether China has the intention to continue entering into these kinds of partnerships in the long term. According to anonymous sources from The Washington Post within the US government, it would be a “major step forward” if China actually cooperates with the US in cases like this.

At the end of September, China and the US reached an agreement on digital warfare between the two countries. According to the plans, there would be no more hacking back and forth, both in the field of companies and governments.