China Says It Lacks Skills To Hack US Systems

ScentCone writes "A spokesman for China's foreign ministry says that — China being the 'developing nation' that it is — he doubts that his country has the sophistication to hack foreign systems. This in response to statements by two congressmen regarding apparent probing by China-based crackers into congressional systems for information about communication between US officials and activists in China."

Comments

China lacks the skills?

[AmazingRuss]

Lacks the skills to lie convincingly to anybody it doesn't have the power of life or death over, more like.

Re:China lacks the skills?

[ceoyoyo]

Part of the Chinese culture? That little tradition used to be polite behaviour in the west too.

Re:China lacks the skills?

[eatfastnoodle]

Japanese culture is Heavily influenced by China, You would be amazed by how many Chinese characters there are in Japanese. Chinese who speak no Japanese and Japanese who speak no Chinese can communicate with each other using pen and a piece of paper. As for the statement, They just don't think it's a matter worthy of serious response. Of course they know nobody would believe it, modern Chinese culture are very pragmatic and very goal-oriented, they don't like to infuse too much morality into their discussion. In their view, everybody spies on everybody else, it's just how things work, they didn't whine to CNN or the statement department about CIA spying on China. why did the USãmake such a big deal out of it?

Yeah, right

[the eric conspiracy]

China has the money and skills to build the Great Firewall. They are clearly capable.

If they're not sophisticated enough

[anglico]

then how did one of their submarines pop up in the middle of one of our Navy carrier groups undetected?

Re:Could have fooled me..

[TheLazySci-FiAuthor]

I'll warm myself with these flames, thank you.

I think your point (intentional or not) is in fact quite valid. In a country of billions how could there not be at least a few with the innate talent needed to accomplish this?

Given, skill and talent are seperate but related things - talent you have or don't, skill you use or lose - yet with the right amount of inherent ability and the drive to learn, what isn't possible?

Re:Bald face liars.

[antifoidulus]

China loves using this "developing nation" bullshit whenever it wants to try to elicit sympathy or otherwise justify their actions. Want to pollute as much as you want? "We are a developing nation!" Want to not have to play by WTO rules? Again, "Developing nation"

If China actually WERE a developing nation, that stuff wouldn't be so bad. But China has 0 problem throwing its weight around places like Sudan where it uses its ginormous reserves of foreign currency and military know-how to help the Sudanese slaughter their own citizens in exchange for oil.

China, if you want the benefits of being one of the big boys, you are going to have to pay the costs as well. This whole "we are a developing nation when it suits us" bullshit has got to stop, but unfortunately anyone who is actually in a position to make them play by the rules is either a cheater themselves or just so hypnotized by the theoretical promise of China that they refuse to do anything about it.

Re:whats more likely

[ceoyoyo]

The obvious question I haven't heard anybody ask: why did these congressmen have sensitive information on machines connected to the Internet?

In spy stories you commit things to memory because they're too dangerous to write down. Have we degenerated to the point where you not only write things down but you put them on the Internet with a big sign saying "steal me?"

Re:South Park defense

[gnick]

If each nuclear warhead we have were to kill 125,000 people, they'd still win. I categorically reject your implied definition of "win".

Re:South Park defense

[pragma_x]

I agree.

The only way to win is not to play.

Re:South Park defense

[Slime-dogg]

I agree. The only way to win is not to play. Sometimes playing is unavoidable.

Re:South Park defense

[gnick]

I agree. The only way to win is not to play. Sometimes playing is unavoidable. But, in such situations, winning is often unfeasible. Victory just means losing less.

Re:South Park defense

[vuffi_raa]

I bet the Chinese have a better sense of humor than you. I am Chinese and I don't find it amusing (the post- not south park- though I think it has gotten really stale as of late).
Honestly there are a lot of us- not just Chinese, but all Asians that get pissed off a lot because it's not okay to use the 'n' word or make black jokes or use derogatory terms for Jews or Hispanics- but I hear Gook and Chink and Slant eyed or and every other term in the book thrown around (my favorite was being called "indian nigger" when I was in the midwest) not to mention the lame assed white guy Chinese accent and it's just fine according to society. Honestly as much as I am not a fan of china (my dad escaped after the revolution) I honestly think it's funny that they are kicking our ass economically and love the fact that Japan and South Korea put our tech to shame because we are so afraid to get our heads out of our asses in this country and take anyone seriously who isn't white.
I couldn't believe the other day I was flipping channels and "mind of mencia" was on and he had some rant about how stupid and dirty chinese people were and seriously, I was really offended. I mean if you were to put any other race in that rant of his most people would be angry, but chinese people *pfft* who cares right? they won't complain, they are a "model minority" because they don't say anything and are good at math (which I am not, really- I work in legal tech but have a degree in fine arts and have taught post graduate studies in design and audio composition and engineering).