Beijing expresses concerns over US plan to partner with AI firms against China

China has expressed solemn concerns to the United States and vowed to take all necessary measures to safeguard its cybersecurity, following media reports that the US Department of War is exploring partnerships with leading artificial intelligence companies for potential cyber operations targeting China.

According to reports, the department is discussing cooperation with several major AI firms to enable automated reconnaissance of China's power facilities and other sensitive networks, with a view to conducting cyberattacks in the event of conflict.

Speaking at a daily news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China has conveyed its solemn concerns to the US side through multiple channels.

"The United States has long been the largest source of instability in cyberspace," Mao said, adding that even before the development of artificial intelligence, it had already carried out cyberattacks and pre-positioning against China's critical infrastructure.

She also said the US government has required major technology companies to directly serve its geopolitical and military objectives, which has had serious global repercussions.