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China has dismissed allegations from Dutch cybersecurity authorities accusing it of targeting organisations in the Netherlands and across Europe, describing the findings as a baseless and malicious smear campaign designed to damage its international reputation. In a formal diplomatic response issued on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands stated that the assessment repeated long-standing allegations and revived an unfounded narrative regarding Chinese cyber threats. Beijing firmly rejected the assertions, urging Dutch officials to refrain from politicising digital security matters and calling for institutional dialogue and technical cooperation instead.
Beijing describes itself as primary victim of cyberattacks
Responding directly to the claims, the Chinese Embassy maintained that China itself remains one of the major targets of international cyberattacks. The spokesperson noted that the country has consistently opposed all forms of malicious cyber activity and continues to enforce domestic laws strictly against digital security infractions.
Beijing reiterated that it opposes the exploitation of cyberspace to compromise the sovereignty, national security, or social stability of any sovereign nation. Official statements framed cyber vulnerabilities as a shared global challenge rather than an issue confined to individual states, maintaining that international solutions should be reached through constructive consultation and practical collaboration rather than unilateral political accusations.
Diplomatic appeal urging Netherlands to abandon ideological bias
The embassy urged Dutch authorities to discard ideological preconceptions and rectify an approach that Beijing considers fundamentally erroneous. The spokesperson called on the Netherlands to stop singling out China, warning against the conversion of technical cybersecurity questions into broader geopolitical disputes.
The official response called for deeper bilateral engagement, arguing that the preservation of an open, peaceful, and cooperative cyber environment depends entirely on mutual trust and regular consultation. Chinese officials stressed that persistent unilateral statements do not resolve cross-border technical challenges, arguing instead that international cooperation must be based on objective analysis and verifiable facts.
Persistent friction across European and Western networks
The diplomatic confrontation unfolds against a broader backdrop of elevated friction between China and Western governments concerning digital espionage, network intrusion, and risks to critical digital infrastructure. European security services have frequently expressed concerns regarding intrusions targeting government bodies, data systems, and strategic utilities, while Beijing has consistently denied involvement in state-sponsored attacks, describing such assessments as politically motivated.
Independent technical assessments and verified evidentiary documentation remain critical to evaluating the specific assertions raised by Dutch authorities alongside China’s categorical rebuttal. For the present, Beijing has maintained its outright rejection of the Dutch findings, demanding that the Netherlands reconsider its position and treat network defence as an area for collective international resolution rather than diplomatic friction.
