China rejects UK cyber claims after NCSC report

At a Foreign Ministry regular press conference on November 4, 2026, spokesperson Mao Ning responded to a question about Britain's National Cyber Security Centre and its annual cybersecurity report. The report, issued on November 3, said China is a leading developer of AI-cyber capability and assessed that by 2028 it is "highly likely" China will routinely use AI-cyber to carry out hacking activities.

Mao said China had noted the report and expressed grave concern over what she called a wanton speculative accusation by the UK despite the absence of evidence. She framed AI-generated cybersecurity risks as a global challenge that requires new rules at the United Nations and a global response.

She also said the UK has long politicized the cybersecurity issue. In her remarks, she accused London of rehashing hacking allegations as a pretext to curb China's AI development.

Mao said that approach does not help increase mutual trust between China and the UK. She further said it harms the UK's credibility in cooperation on global AI security governance.

Her comments were delivered in response to a question from Phoenix TV on the UK report and its warning that China represents the "most sophisticated and sustained" cyber challenge facing the UK. Mao did not accept the report's premise and did not provide any counter-assessment of the findings.

In the same press conference, Mao also repeated China's position that the development of AI should be open and for progress, for good and for all. She said AI should aim at both security and advancement and be safe, reliable and controllable.

The exchange came during a broader briefing that also covered Chinese diplomatic engagements in Türkiye, Georgia, the United States and the Middle East, but the cyber-related remarks focused specifically on the UK report and China's rejection of its allegations.

#CyberSecurity #AI #NCSC #MaoNing #PhoenixTV

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