The United States Condemns Attempts by PRC-Affiliated Actors to Steal American COVID-19 Research

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

The United States condemns attempts by cyber actors and non-traditional collectors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to steal U.S. intellectual property and data related to COVID-19 research, as announced in a May 13, 2020 warning by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.  The United States calls on the PRC to cease this malicious activity.  As the May 13 warning notes, “The potential theft of this information jeopardizes the delivery of secure, effective, and efficient treatment options.”  The PRC’s behavior in cyberspace is an extension of its counterproductive actions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  While the United States and our allies and partners are coordinating a collective, transparent response to save lives, the PRC continues to silence scientists, journalists, and citizens, and to spread disinformation, which has exacerbated the dangers of this health crisis.