China has accused the United States of launching a cyberattack on its National Time Centre, claiming that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) stole sensitive data and infiltrated internal systems. Beijing warned that the alleged breach could have disrupted vital networks, including financial systems, communication infrastructure, and the international standard time.
According to China’s Ministry of State Security, the cyberattack targeted the National Time Service Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The ministry said the NSA had been conducting an extended espionage operation against the centre, compromising data and employee credentials since 2022.
In a statement posted on its official WeChat account, the ministry alleged that U.S. intelligence agencies “exploited a vulnerability” in the messaging service of a foreign smartphone brand to hack into staff mobile devices and internal network systems. Although the ministry did not name the brand, it claimed that this vulnerability was used to spy on employees and extract sensitive information.
The National Time Centre plays a critical role in maintaining and broadcasting China’s standard time, which underpins financial transactions, communications, and power systems. The ministry said that in addition to the 2022 breach, the U.S. launched further attacks on the centre’s high-precision ground-based timing system in 2023 and 2024.
Both nations have repeatedly accused each other of cyberespionage in recent years, each identifying the other as its primary cybersecurity threat. The latest allegations come amid growing U.S.-China tensions, following Washington’s warnings of increased tariffs on Chinese goods and Beijing’s expanded controls on rare earth exports.