Common threat of cyberespionage drives need for global code of conduct

Last week, the US filed criminal charges against five Chinese military officers for allegedly hacking into US companies to steal trade secrets. China reacted furiously, dismissing the charges as "groundless", suspending the work of a bilateral working group on cybersecurity, summoning US ambassador Max Baucus in protest, and threatening retaliation.

Three days after the charges, Beijing announced its plan to impose security checks on information technology products and services of national security and public interest. This is believed to be a countermeasure against major US IT companies that do business in China.

The precedent-setting indictments come in the shadow of revelations by Edward Snowden of large-scale National Security Agency spying on foreign governments and companies. Prior to Snowden's alarming disclosures, the US had accused a Chinese military unit of being behind sustained hacking attacks on US firms.

Its latest move demonstrates the Obama administration's resolve to address the hacking threat, but this strategy is unlikely to work.

The odds of the alleged hackers being extradited are almost zero. China could have resorted to tit-for-tat retribution by bringing similar charges against America's state-sponsored hackers, such as NSA leaders and employees. Instead, Beijing has exercised restraint.

In the eyes of Chinese authorities, the US has already lost its moral authority to point the finger at others, given that it itself engages in rampant cyberspying around the world, in particular targeting China's governmental agencies, universities, companies and citizens.

Beijing has seized on this opportunity to denounce US hypocrisy; the media has not hesitated to mock the US for playing the role of world cop while ending up looking like a thief crying "thief".