China dismisses Germany accusations over cyberattack

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's embassy in Berlin on Thursday dismissed as groundless German charges that Beijing was behind a cyber attack on a German government agency in 2021, accusing it of "anti-China political manipulation".

On Wednesday, Germany alleged that China of having been behind a 2021 cyberattack on the federal cartography agency for espionage purposes and summoned Beijing's ambassador in Berlin to lodge a complaint.

It was the latest country to accuse China of cyber-espionage, joining the United States, Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, Philippines and New Zealand. China denies any such action.

A Chinese embassy statement released late on Wednesday said: "Germany has publicly made groundless accusations against China on the grounds of the so-called cyber intrusion into the Germany federal mapping office, which China has firmly rejected and lodged solemn representations with the German side."

"China urges Germany to stop engaging in anti-China political manipulation and public opinion smears under the pretext of cyber security issues."

Germany's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday the government was able to attribute responsibility for the cyberattack to Chinese state actors based on information from its intelligence services.

China has repeatedly denied all such accusations against it and has said it has also been the victim of cyberattacks.

"China resolutely opposes and cracks down on all forms of hacker attacks and does not allow any country or individual to engage in cyber attacks and other illegal activities within the territory of China or using China's infrastructure," the Chinese embassy statement said.

(Reporting by Bernard Orr; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Angus MacSwan)