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US To Slap Chinese Hackers With Sanctions Ahead Of Xi Visit

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Early last month, the Obama administration made a bold decision.

The White House decided, after careful deliberations, that the cyber attack on the Office of Personnel Management was, to quote The New York Times, "so vast in scope and ambition that the usual practices for dealing with traditional espionage cases [do] not apply." In short:

This came just days after a "secret" NSA map "leaked" to the press showing the alleged frequency of cyber intrusions emanating from China. Here’s the map:

"The prizes that China pilfered during its ‘intrusions’ included everything from specifications for hybrid cars to formulas for pharmaceutical products to details about U.S. military and civilian air traffic control systems," intelligence sources told NBC, who broke the story. 

We summed up six months of ridiculous back-and-forth cyber banter as follows:

The release of the map marked the culmination of a cyber attack propaganda campaign which began with accusations that North Korea had attempted to sabotage Sony, reached peak absurdity when Penn State claimed Chinese spies had taken control of the campus engineering department, and turned serious when Washington blamed China for what was deemed "the largest theft of US government data ever." Whether all of this is cause for the Pentagon to activate the 'offensive' component of its brand new cyber strategy remains to be seen.

Now, FT says the US is ready to respond to by “slapping sanctions on Chinese companies connected to the cyber theft of US intellectual property.” Furthermore, the US is apparently prepared to risk announcing the sanctions ahead of Xi Jinping’s first official visit to the US. Here’s FT:

The Obama administration has for months been preparing a raft of sanctions to respond to mounting commercial espionage from China. Three US officials said the sanctions would probably be unveiled next week, just weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping makes his first state visit to America.

 

Officials have been divided over whether the administration should impose the sanctions before the Xi visit. Proponents argue that the US needs to show China that it is serious about tackling cyber espionage. But opponents worry that such timing would seriously damage the visit.

 

The state department had been pushing for the sanctions to come after it, according to people familiar with the situation. But law enforcement officials argued against waiting because of the serious nature of the cyber attacks.

 

One official said the move would probably come next week, after the US Labour Day holiday. He said the White House wanted to avoid slapping China with sanctions immediately before the visit, to give China time to cool down before Mr Xi meets President Barack Obama in Washington.

 

China wants to boost Mr Xi’s status as a global leader, but his visit — which will include a 21-gun salute and a big banquet — will be overshadowed by the Pope’s, which will attract huge media coverage, and also the move to impose sanctions.

 

One former US official said: “The cyber sanctions could really throw a spanner in things. There is no reason to embarrass the president of China. It would crater the visit.”

Yes, "no reason to embarrass" Xi, because after all, Xi is not a man who enjoys being embarrassed. Just ask any of the 200 people who were arrested over the past week for conspiring to use the stock market selloff as an "opportunity to maliciously concoct rumors to attack [the] Party and national leaders." 

So we will await the details on the first round of US "cyber sanctions" against the legions of Chinese hackers who have apparently stolen everything from the blueprints for electric cars to delicate information about America's ultra-modern airtraffic control network, and in the meantime, simply ask whether another set of "sanctions" are being prepared in response to the PLA navy's unprecedented operations off the coast of Alaska.

And meanwhile, in China...

 

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Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:54 | 6506220 goldhedge
goldhedge's picture

Google, Microsoft, Apple, CISCO etc. ?

 

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:57 | 6506237 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

"no reason to embarrass" Xi,

Barry pisses in all directions.  It's the only place he does not discriminate.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:59 | 6506242 angel_of_joy
angel_of_joy's picture

He might piss in all directions but it lands mainly on his shoes...

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:05 | 6506267 Dutti
Dutti's picture

Since the chinese have apparently stolen blueprints for electric cars, I hope they have also stolen some inspiration for an updated car design. The front of the car in the photo reminds me of an Opel Kapitan from 1958: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opel_Kapit%C3%A4n_P2,5_e.JPG

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:50 | 6506751 BigJim
BigJim's picture

Didn't you hear? Chinese "goods" aren't crap - they keep all the best stuff for themselves.

Like this self-propelled podium, the "Dearleader III", armed with a four-mic turret.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 20:09 | 6506999 knukles
knukles's picture

So the Chinks can't upgrade to Windows 10?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 21:15 | 6507232 max2205
max2205's picture

Barry is gonna get us all killed before he does something useful and effective 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 21:28 | 6507289 knukles
knukles's picture

Holy shit man, I laughed at your comment!   ....   How fucked up is that, seriously?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 22:27 | 6507519 Fish Gone Bad
Fish Gone Bad's picture

He did the (secret) TPP and forced healthcare.  That has got to count for something, at least to Pelosi. </humor>

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 23:47 | 6507742 TheEndIsNear
TheEndIsNear's picture

I was astounded to learn that the Chinese people cannot buy certain things that are exported to the USA. Laptop computers are a good example. I helped two Chinese people to buy laptop computers because they could not buy the ones they wanted themselves in China. One Chinese lady had never seen a food processor, and she was a well paid retired engineer in China.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:15 | 6506317 Oracle 911
Oracle 911's picture

Pocking the bear into its eye with a sharp stick and angering the dragon is the foreign policy of USA in short.

One may wonder about the mental health and the IQ levels of the US elites.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 19:12 | 6506833 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Many geniuses are locked up in hospitals for the criminally insane,

Some even wear white coats, but they are rarely let out either.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:08 | 6506558 ThatGuyFox
ThatGuyFox's picture

Isn't Reggie into watersports?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 23:29 | 6507702 Antifaschistische
Antifaschistische's picture

you're missing a point.  Chinese people would NEVER take part in a black-lives-matter campaign.  Therefore, they are on his black-list.  If they were muslim, he would give them a free ride...but they don't pass that test either.  So, they're are on the same crap list as light complected Americans who don't bow to Washington.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 20:04 | 6506986 TheReplacement
TheReplacement's picture

Interesting note on the Pope there. 

The Chinese people would see their dear leader disgraced in front of the world.  Like they need another reason to be ticked off much less us as the object of their ire.

The American people would see a guy in funny hat speaking spanish.  "Squirrel!"

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:54 | 6506224 q99x2
q99x2's picture

The Americans do not appear to be mature adults.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 20:05 | 6506991 TheReplacement
TheReplacement's picture

If China really did what the administration says they did then the visit should be very publicly cancelled.  For starters.

None of this is real I think.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:55 | 6506225 drink or die
drink or die's picture

Also Dude, Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature.

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:58 | 6506239 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Coolie?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:00 | 6506249 Bunghole
Bunghole's picture

That chink has a bitchin ride.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:52 | 6506765 davidalan1
davidalan1's picture

LMFAO...had the same thought...must be the microphones

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:35 | 6506692 Midas
Midas's picture

If it's drink or die, I guess I'll have a white russian.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:59 | 6506227 hedgeless_horseman
hedgeless_horseman's picture

 

 

So the USA can conduct cyber espionage on our German allies, but we are going to sanction the Chinese for conducting espionage on us?  The USA should be embarrassed by its own hypocrisy, not the Chinese.

That the NSA was spying on German officials is not new, though it continues to upset free press advocates and those with memories of repressive governments both Communist and Nazi. In 2013, the German magazine Der Spiegel, using information gleaned from files stolen and leaked by Edward Snowden, first reported that the NSA was intercepting German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone communications.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/03/politics/germany-media-spying-obama-admini...

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:00 | 6506248 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Where da wookie be at?

Anyone else notice they've done a great job of hiding the trannie this summer?

How come?  Maybe something Billie Jeff said on the golf course;)????

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:02 | 6506256 Bunghole
Bunghole's picture

She had her adams apple reduced.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:10 | 6506293 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Again?  But what can you do with the gorilla arms?

Kind of a tell if you ask me.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:55 | 6506232 Son of Captain Nemo
Son of Captain Nemo's picture

US against the World... Literally!

When the British lined up with a nod over AIIB what's left?...

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:59 | 6506241 angel_of_joy
angel_of_joy's picture

... Just ask any of the 200 peoplewho  were arrested over the past week for conspiring to use the stock market selloff...

Sorry but the way I see it, the Chinese just managed to arrest some GS & JPM operatives who were doing their game of screwing up stock markets world wide with sudden in/outflows of free money. Incidentally, this is something that the Americans themselves (SEC anybody ?) should have done a long time ago...

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:04 | 6506262 Tsar Pointless
Tsar Pointless's picture

Those commies! How dare they treat honest capitalists in such ways?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:59 | 6506245 khnum
khnum's picture

its the Big Xi crazy US treasuries sale,10 year overstocked so out the door they go at never to be repeated prices..

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:14 | 6506314 Tsar Pointless
Tsar Pointless's picture

Get 'em while they (and the USA) last!

Does he have one of those inflatable crazy arm thingies?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 16:59 | 6506246 taketheredpill
taketheredpill's picture

Perfect!  Of course these Chinese companies will be competitors of US companies, so this offers US cover for a "soft-Tariff", and signals that Trade Wars have gone to DEFCON3.

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:19 | 6506546 earleflorida
earleflorida's picture

"Say hello to China's new toys: Escobar"       9/3/15   @       http://atimes.com/

Ps. I've mentioned before that Aircraft Carriers are 'floating coffins'-- yea, they can park in port as a leap-frog station. But[t]...?

http://atimes.com/2015/09/say-hello-to-chinas-new-toys-escobar/

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 19:42 | 6506916 angel_of_joy
angel_of_joy's picture

Just a quick reminder from good old Pepe that Western(ized) media has become so pathetic it's not even funny... Good post ! +1

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:01 | 6506254 Canadian Dirtlump
Canadian Dirtlump's picture

So what I guess we're supposed to take away from this article that China is an overly militarized menace and the US is bending over for them? What the fuck is wrong here lately. Is a Neo con running the editorial department?

 

Yeah, let's take at face value the claims of a government which lies professionally and is a military menace world wide.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:06 | 6506272 khnum
khnum's picture

The Clinton administration let them steal stealth and all manner of other technologies no doubt to set them up to be a future credible threat, problem is they are probably more credible than anticipated.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:04 | 6506264 Consuelo
Consuelo's picture

Gawd I love the front-end styling of that car...

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:09 | 6506289 LasVegasDave
LasVegasDave's picture

Chinese Edsel?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:31 | 6506331 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

1952 De Soto...

crappolla.  Tried to copy the URL but it extended half way to China;)   howsabout:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVjG6t.hViZgAXzEnnIlQ...

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:24 | 6506359 roisaber
roisaber's picture

Hong-qi?

Honky.

I see what they did there.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:38 | 6506412 HowdyDoody
HowdyDoody's picture

Pimpin'! It would be totally magnificent with airjack suspension and blue led rims. Man, if I ruled a country I would do that just to take the piss of the stuffed ass leaders / elites.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:09 | 6506278 Handful of Dust
Handful of Dust's picture

His visiting to personally thank Barry and Biden for sending millions of American jobs to China the past 6 years.

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:12 | 6506306 Tsar Pointless
Tsar Pointless's picture

I'm sorry. That all happened under Nixon and Reagan, then the rest were sent to South America/Mexico under Clinton.

Sending American jobs to China is so thirty years ago. Update your schtick.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:07 | 6506281 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

LOL!

Zion is a scheme, not an ethnicity.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:10 | 6506295 Tyrone Shoelaces
Tyrone Shoelaces's picture

I like the Chinese Karaokemobile, we should get one for Obama.

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:11 | 6506300 Consuelo
Consuelo's picture

 

 

You gotta hand to the chop shops over there though...   Look at the back end of the car - it is smack out of a Bentley, welded to a Babushka front end...!

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:23 | 6506356 Prober
Prober's picture

Another problem with a simple solution:

1. Impose 25% restitution tax on all chinese products

2. Declare all US treasuries held by chinese as confiscated restitution for china's thefts, ie we ain't pay'n no interest or principal on the trillions that they bought

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:42 | 6506427 Max Steel
Max Steel's picture

Not gonna happen

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:19 | 6506613 bid the soldier...
bid the soldiers shoot's picture

It's called "Jewing the Chinese out of money."

You prolly have genetic reasons for coming up with the idea, Moish. 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:25 | 6506363 ThisIsBob
ThisIsBob's picture

And those Americans whose job it was to keep all that stuff secure?  What sanctions for them?  Or is security of stored digital data impossible to achieve.  Oh, Hilliary, do you believe for one second that "they" were  not reading your mail, from about a day after you registered the doimain.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:11 | 6506580 Berspankme
Berspankme's picture

Those are government employees and admin supporters., They are untouchable

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:27 | 6506373 khnum
khnum's picture

i have had dealings with asian business people,there is the concept of 'face' to have the leader of the worlds most populous country set up like a schoolboy means that nobody in the administration nor state department has a fucking clue.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:32 | 6506390 sgt_doom
sgt_doom's picture

No, believe they are doing this on purpose, they only play dumb when it comes to American Sheeple.

They mean to offend . . .

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:52 | 6506763 Maxter
Maxter's picture

The concept of saving face (and actualy helping your ennemies save face also) is what kept the world away from some major conflicts.

To see this concept disappear with Russia and now (partly) with China is very dangerous.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:30 | 6506381 sgt_doom
sgt_doom's picture

Quite a few people would take issue with your take on why and who was arrest by the Chicoms:

http://wallstreetonparade.com/2015/09/%ef%bb%bfas-shanghai-stock-market-tanks-china-makes-mass-arrests-you-could-disappear-at-any-time/

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 17:59 | 6506516 Youri Carma
Youri Carma's picture

Those sanctions will further isolate the U.S. so that is great news for the world.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:10 | 6506574 bid the soldier...
bid the soldiers shoot's picture

How about when Xi's plane lands in Washington, Xi isn't on it.

 

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:14 | 6506593 Berspankme
Berspankme's picture

Xi could embarrass Obie by canceling at the last minute and saying he has a visit to Russia instead

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:33 | 6506679 bid the soldier...
bid the soldiers shoot's picture

Or, suddenly his plane flies past Washington and heads down Habana way.

Bring up the the sound of the maracas as a Chinese conga line, led by Xi, works its way down the stairs of the plane into the arms of the Castro Bros.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:13 | 6506585 Berspankme
Berspankme's picture

What will the sanctions be from the pussy germans for the US spying on them?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:18 | 6506607 monad
monad's picture

Your security sucks, America. Those bargain H1Bs don't have your interests at heart either.

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 18:50 | 6506749 SweetDoug
SweetDoug's picture

'

'

'

Yeah… Yeah, there is plenty of reason to embarrass him.

 

•?•
V-V

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 19:22 | 6506862 me or you
me or you's picture

'Cyber Sanctions' against Chinese hackers. Is this a joke? Right?

Thu, 09/03/2015 - 22:37 | 6507548 tarabel
tarabel's picture

 

 

Embarrass the President of China?

If we wanted to do that, we could load him up with an ipod of Obama speeches and a collection of Region 1 DVDs.

Oh wait, that embarrassing OUR President.

Don't worry, we'll get ths figured out before Chow Mein Tutti Frutti lands on the sacred soil. 

Fri, 09/04/2015 - 04:42 | 6508032 MSimon
MSimon's picture

Rockford is not on that map. I feel slighted.

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