Published on: 2026-09-11
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Beijing, September 11 /Xinhua/ — The Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China expressed serious concern and resolute protest on Friday regarding statements by the Deputy Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Michael Ellis, claiming that Chinese enterprises are legitimate targets for espionage, and called for the immediate cessation of such activities.
“The brazen claims by the American side that Chinese enterprises are legitimate targets for spying have completely torn off the ‘fig leaf’ behind which intelligence agencies secretly steal secrets, exposing the bandit logic of hegemony in broad daylight,” said the official representative of the Ministry of Commerce.
He noted that the Chinese side firmly warns the American side of the necessity to immediately cease espionage activities against China, including Chinese enterprises, as well as to stop any actions that harm the sovereignty, security, and developmental interests of China.
The Chinese side possesses a strong will and a rich arsenal of means; in accordance with the PRC Counterintelligence Law and other laws and regulations, it will decisively take necessary measures, strictly punish unlawful and criminal acts according to the law, and firmly protect the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, said the official representative.
M. Ellis recently publicly stated that the American side is expanding the scope of espionage activities against China, including Chinese enterprises. He also noted that Chinese companies in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and biotechnology are legitimate targets for espionage.
As noted by the official representative, the American side interprets the concept of national security overly broadly, blurring the line between competition and security, and even defines economic competition as a so-called “threat”; in essence, this is a manifestation of Cold War thinking with its zero-sum game logic.
“Attempts by American intelligence agencies to interfere with normal economic competition seriously undermine the business expectations of enterprises from various countries and destroy the global market environment, which is characterized by fair competition,” the official representative stated.
The American side, he continued, for a long time has baselessly accused other trading partners of allegedly harming the interests of the United States through espionage and theft of secrets, while American intelligence agencies carry out large-scale cyber espionage and theft of intelligence information regarding countries around the world. Now the United States openly tramples on international trade rules and intellectual property protection standards, using espionage activities against economic competitors, which is clearly a typical example of double standards policy, added the official representative.
Denying the US claims that China poses a military and economic threat, calling them “bandit arguments that turn black and white upside down” and “malicious slander,” the official described the actions of the American side as suppression and defamation of China.
“China’s technological breakthroughs in areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and biotechnology are the result of the hard work of Chinese researchers and enterprises and are by no means a prize that American intelligence agencies can attempt to seize with impunity,” noted the official representative.
In essence, the actions of the American side represent concern over China’s scientific and technological progress; however, through espionage and theft of secrets, as well as hegemonistic suppression, it is impossible to stop the innovative movement of Chinese enterprises forward or achieve genuine technological leadership; the frankly bandit-like tactics of the American side in stealing secrets are doomed to fail, concluded the official representative. –0–
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