China Planning Cyber War Games As Obama Talks Imminent

China is to carry out its first cyber war games, as President Obama is set to talk with its partner and rival about reports of large scale Internet-led espionage on US businesses.

According to the state-backed Xinhua news agency, the tests will see various kinds of modern combat technology trialled. The People’s Liberation Army will play with “digitalised units, special operations forces, army aviation and electronic counter forces”.

Cyber war discussions

Obama will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California next week, where he is set to discuss cyber security issues, according to Reuters, after numerous reports of China-backed cyber spying in recent months.

A report yesterday claimed China hackers took more than 24 major weapons designs belonging to the US. The attackers made off with designs of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, believed to be the most expensive weapons system ever created, amongst other data.

Former US government officials said the US should consider letting affected organisations hack back, in a report that claimed $300 billion (£199bn) was likely being lost every year because of IP theft, with between 50 and 80 percent of it stolen by Chinese hackers.

China continues to deny it carries out cyber espionage on US public and private sector bodies.

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