China wants to work with FBI on internet security and counter-terrorism

Guo Shenkun, China’s public security minister, has said in a meeting with FBI head James Comey that he wants to work with the FBI on internet security and counterterrorism.

Comey would have indicated that the FBI would like practical cooperation, but Reuters reports that no information is available about the further agreements. The request for cooperation comes at a time when the FBI in America is engaged in a legal battle with Apple over access to the iPhone. However, it is unclear whether there is a connection between the two.

Agreements were already made between China and the US in September, whereby the two countries agreed not to carry out hacking attacks back and forth. Thus, there would be no more attacks to carry out economic espionage. Reuters reports that China is also seeking rapprochement with other Western countries in the field of counterterrorism. Similar agreements have also been made with Russia.

At the end of last year, China passed a new far-reaching anti-terror law, which includes a decryption obligation for companies. Companies may also be required to provide technical assistance and cooperation in other ways in the context of counter-terrorism. In the Chinese interior, there are often problems with the northern province of Xinjiang, where the Muslim Uyghurs are located. This population group is often targeted by hackers, but China denies any infringement.