The European Union has said it is prepared to impose sanctions on China after Prague accused Beijing of launching a malicious cyber campaign against its Foreign Ministry.
“This attack is an unacceptable breach of international norms,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Wednesday. “The EU will not tolerate hostile cyber actions, and we stand in solidarity with the Czech Republic.”
The Czech government identified China’s APT31 hacker group as responsible for the attack, which began in 2022 and targeted one of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ unclassified networks, classified as “critical infrastructure.” APT31, linked to China’s Ministry of State Security, is known for covert operations aimed at government and military institutions worldwide.
In a joint statement backed by all 27 EU member states, Kallas said Brussels had raised similar concerns with Beijing since 2021. “We call upon all states, including China, to refrain from such behaviour,” she added.
At a later press conference, Kallas said the EU “remains ready to impose costs for these kinds of attacks,” though did not specify the form of potential sanctions.
The row comes amid broader EU-China tensions, including Beijing’s support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and concerns over industrial overcapacity and cyber interference.
