[The Ministry of Commerce answers a reporter’s question on a senior CIA official’s public statements about carrying out espionage activities against China] A spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce responded to a reporter’s question on a senior CIA official’s public statements on carrying out espionage activities against China. Reporter asked: Ellis, the deputy director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, recently stated publicly that the US is carrying out broader espionage activities against China, including Chinese companies, to deal with China's "dual threats" in the military and economic fields. In particular, it has listed Chinese companies in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology and other fields as legitimate targets for espionage activities. What is China’s comment on this? A: We have noticed the relevant situation. The United States has nakedly declared that Chinese companies are legitimate targets of espionage activities, completely tearing off the fig leaf that intelligence agencies use to steal secrets behind the scenes, and exposing the hegemonic gangster logic to the sun. China expresses serious concern and firmly opposes this. The US actions wantonly undermine fair competition. Economic competition is a normal business activity, and the acquisition of leading advantages is the result of relying on technology, talent and innovation. The United States generalizes the concept of national security, blurs the boundaries between competition and security, and even defines economic competition as a so-called "threat." This is essentially the Cold War mentality of zero-sum game. U.S. intelligence agencies have interfered with normal economic competition. Related practices have seriously damaged the business expectations of companies in various countries and undermined the global market environment of fair competition. The US behavior is typical of saying one thing and doing another. On the one hand, in 2014, the United States issued Presidential Policy Directive No. 28, which clearly stipulates that it is not allowed to collect foreign private business information or trade secrets through intelligence activities for the purpose of helping American companies or businesses gain competitive advantages. In 2022, the United States issued Executive Order No. 14086 to reaffirm the above restrictions. However, the United States ignores its own boundaries. Its intelligence agencies carry out large-scale cyber theft and intelligence theft against countries around the world. It is itself the world's number one habitual espionage offender. Now it is even more openly claiming that as long as it constitutes economic competition, it can be regarded as a legitimate target of espionage activities. This is a blatant violation of international trade rules and intellectual property protection norms. On the other hand, the United States has long accused other trading partners of harming U.S. interests through intelligence theft, but now it characterizes its own espionage as legitimate. This is obviously a typical act of double standards. The US actions are an attempt to suppress and smear China. The US claims that China is a "double threat" militarily and economically. It is a gangster's rhetoric that confuses right and wrong, and is a malicious slander with ulterior motives. China's technological breakthroughs in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and biotechnology are the result of the hard work of Chinese researchers and enterprises and are by no means a prey that US intelligence agencies can covet. The essence of the U.S. approach is anxiety about China's technological progress. However, relying on espionage and hegemonic suppression cannot stop Chinese companies from innovating and advancing, and they cannot win true technological leadership. The U.S.'s secret-stealing tricks are destined to fail. China is telling the United States to immediately stop espionage activities against China, including Chinese companies, and stop all actions that undermine China's sovereignty, security and development interests. China has a firm will and abundant means. It will resolutely take necessary measures in accordance with the Counterespionage Law of the People's Republic of China and other laws and regulations to severely punish illegal and criminal activities in accordance with the law and resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.