Two senior American officials stated during a media conference on Wednesday that the US has interrupted an alleged Chinese cyber operation targeting key infrastructure in the United States, Reuters reported.

The operation allegedly destroyed hundreds of US-based small office or home office routers that were part of a "botnet" allegedly hijacked by China's state-sponsored hackers for eavesdropping, according to Sean Newell, Deputy Chief of the US Department of Justice's National Security Division.
 
In May 2023, the US and its major partners announced the Chinese cyber operation, claiming that the espionage also targeted US military groups. The Chinese government at the time called the allegations a "misinformation campaign".

In a joint call with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Newell claimed that the "cyber actors" utilize the botnet to hide the "hacking of US and foreign critical infrastructure among other malicious cyber activities."
 
The US officials secured court clearance to carry out the operation, which included deleting the harmful files from the infected routers and ensuring they could not be re-infected, according to the officials. 

Reuters this week exclusively reported on the US campaign against the Chinese cyber activity known as Volt Typhoon, which a Chinese government spokesperson called "irresponsible criticism".

The spokesperson expressed that China's government has "been categorical in opposing hacking attacks and the abuse of information technology," adding that the US was involved in hacking and "eavesdropping more than other countries."

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Sullivan to meet with Wang Yi

Coincidingly, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet on Friday with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Thailand, as the two powers seek to improve relations after years of tensions.

Beijing and Washington have clashed in recent years on flashpoint issues from technology and trade to Taiwan and competing claims in the South China Sea.

In a bid to improve some of the worst relations in decades, US President Joe Biden met Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in San Francisco in November for talks that both sides described as a qualified success.

"As agreed by China and the United States, Wang Yi will hold a new round of meetings with National Security Advisor Sullivan of the United States in Bangkok," Beijing's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that Wang would be in Thailand until Monday.

The US said the talks would take place over Friday and Saturday.