[gaijin]

There is a verrrry hazy seperation between the PRC and the hacker groups that are based there. The basic bargain the two sides that have been struck is:

1. You guys never get prosecuted here for stuff you do to outsiders
2. You have to do our bidding, all unofficially

Since the hackers are technically wearing uniforms, it’s all non-state action. So if the target is a fairly legalistic one (like the USA), then prosecution is difficult.

And since liberal administration tend to tread LOTS of enemy action as LEGAL problems, this gov/hacker arrangement virtually guarantees that the US will not be able to do anything.

The whole question of WHAT virtual stuff is an act of war is being mulled over with great intensity, because 2007 visited on the USA an “ELECTRONIC PEARL HARBOR” that no one wants to talk about —the take of these foreign hackers was apparently HUUUUUUUUUGE.

I really mean it was huge.

[gaijin]

technically wearing uniforms should read: technically NOT wearing uniforms.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Right. This is not something you can steer China away by ‘free trade.’ Not in time. They will develop lethal capability ‘before we can melt them down with free trade.’