The U.S. government has taken measures to protect Chinese-made port cranes and other port facilities from cyberattacks, which have been raised as potential tools for Chinese espionage. The Chinese government has protested in response, claiming it to be a crackdown on its companies.
According to the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy and other sources, President Joe Biden signed an executive order on the 21st of last month that includes investing $20 billion over the next five years to strengthen the cybersecurity of U.S. ports.
The executive order mandates that vessels, ports, and facilities report cyberattacks to authorities in the case of cyber threats.
Most cranes used in U.S. ports are made in China, with over 200 currently in use, accounting for about 80% of the market share.
A high-ranking official of the Biden administration stated in a press briefing, “The authority includes controlling the movement of vessels perceived or suspected to be cyber threats, demanding facilities to correct inadequate cyber conditions that could endanger the port’s safety and security, and inspecting and searching vessels and coastal facilities, including cyber systems and networks.”
The official highlighted the STS (Ship to Shore) Cranes, made in China, as a cyber vulnerability. These cranes are used to load or unload cargo from ships or docks.
The official said, “Such cranes can be remotely controlled, serviced, and programmed by design,” and added, “Due to these characteristics, Chinese-made cranes can be vulnerable to misuse.”
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning refuted in a briefing on the 23rd of last month, saying, “The so-called ‘China remotely controls port crane data’ is completely absurd,” and “China firmly opposes the U.S. generalizing the concept of national security.”
She continued, “If they abuse national capacity and unjustly oppress Chinese products and companies, and weaponize economic and trade issues, it will increase the security risk of the global industrial network and supply chain, and eventually harm themselves.”
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