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China may be confronted over
US cyber attacks
Craig Skehan and Mark Metherell
Syndney
Morning Herald
Thursday September 6, 2007
VISITING US President George Bush has conceded America's military
computer systems were susceptible to cyber attacks.
Mr Bush signalled that when he met the Chinese President, Hu
Jintao, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, he
could raise with him claims that the Chinese military had hacked
into Pentagon computers.
"In terms of whether I'll bring this up to countries that
we may suspect - from which there may have been an attack - I
may," Mr Bush told a Sydney media conference yesterday.
Mr Bush described America's relationship with China as "complex"
as he implicitly criticised China over human rights abuses in
Tibet, called on Beijing to take a tougher line on opposing development
of nuclear weapons by Iran and suggested that the Chinese Government
could do more to stem the "humanitarian crisis" in Darfur.
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This came amid wider bilateral and regional tensions over China's
unprecedented expansion and modernisation of its military. China
has denied its People's Liberation Army successfully hacked into
the Pentagon's network in June.
There have also been reports that the Chinese military sought
to hack into sensitive computer systems in Britain and Germany.
Last night, the former senior official with responsibility for
the Pine Gap spy station near Alice Springs, Ron Huisken, warned
the claimed hacking by the Chinese military into sensitive US
defence computer systems could be repeated in Australia.
Dr Huisken said having an ability to enter the computerised defence
systems of others and disable them in the event of conflict had
become a "holy grail".
"The Chinese are open in recognising it as a force multiplier,"
he said.
Under enhanced defence co-operation arrangements negotiated between
Canberra and Washington, Australia will have greater access to
sensitive "source codes" for high technology weapons
and military equipment.
Dr Huisken cited a recent report by the Australian Security Intelligence
Organisation that China had substantially stepped up espionage
activities in Australia. And he said if was established that military
computer hacking efforts had been sanctioned by China's political
leadership, it would undermine Beijing's efforts to project an
image of peaceful international co-operation.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, said yesterday
that Australia wanted to increase defence co-operation with China.
"We have security talks with a range of different countries
and my own view is that could usefully be extended to include
China," he said. "And it's important we have good forums
to be able to discuss any issues of that kind with them. So having
some sort of annual security talks makes good sense between Australia
and China."
In a separate development, China and Australia have agreed on
a scheme to deter unscrupulous migration agents who extort Chinese
workers seeking sponsored jobs in Australia.
The Immigration Minister, Kevin Andrews, said the agreement would
give preference to legitimate Chinese recruitment agents to supply
skilled workers on the understanding they could not charge workers
for their recruitment services.
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