US warned of China 'cyber-spying'

There are concerns that China has been accessing sensitive US databases

China has stepped up computer espionage against the US government and American businesses, according to an influential Washington congressional panel.

In its annual report to Congress, the panel warned that China was gaining increasing access to sensitive information from US computer networks.

It said China was aggressively pursuing cyber-warfare capabilities to gain an advantage over the US in any conflict.

There has been no comment so far from the Chinese on the report.

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission was set up by Congress in 2000 to advise, investigate and report on US-China issues.

China is stealing vast amounts of sensitive information from US computer networks Larry Wortzel Commission chairman

It alleges that the Chinese are looking for diplomatic and military secrets in government databases, and potentially lucrative industrial secrets held by American corporations.

The report said the US government and economy were critically vulnerable to cyber-space attack since both depended heavily on computers and the internet.

The panel of six Democrats and six Republicans said China would continue to target the US using cyberspace as it was cheaper and less risky than traditional espionage activities.

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