IPAC STATEMENT ON CONFIRMED CYBER ATTACKS BY THE PRC AGAINST FOREIGN LEGISLATORS AND DIASPORIC COMMUNITIES

We, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China are deeply troubled by reports of cyber attacks on foreign politicians and others strongly linked to the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).


These attacks form a part of a well established pattern of intimidation and infringement of personal liberty by entities controlled by PRC state organs. Attacks on foreign legislators merely serve to illustrate the depths to which the Communist Party of China will sink to exert control and suppress dissent, extending even to foreign nationals.


This form of cyber intimidation is not new. Diaspora groups no longer living in China have suffered severe and sustained cyber attacks and related transnational repression for years. We call upon our Governments to take a firm stand against these attacks and take concrete action to protect both diaspora communities living in our countries together with our own citizens by:

  • Enhancing information sharing between democratic states about malicious cyber activities conducted by the PRC

  • Making available cybersecurity education and guidance to political refugees from China and human rights groupsReview national Cyber Security Incident Response Team’s security guidance and public resources with a view to educating the public about the tactics, techniques and procedures associated with threats including, but not limited to APT27, APT30, APT31, Ke3chang, GALLIUM and Mustang Panda

  • Ordering judicial investigations into malicious cyber activities where appropriate, and attributing them to the PRC where necessary

  • Committing to pursue remedial action where an attack is attributable to the PRC, including seeking compensation for damage done to the cyber infrastructure of other states where appropriate.

Signed:
Dovilė Šakalienė MP (Lithuania)
Žygimantas Pavilionis MP (Lithuania)
Tom van der Lee MP (The Netherlands)
Sjoerd Sjoerdsma MP (The Netherlands)
Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP (United Kingdom)
Lord James Bethell (United Kingdom)
Marie Rimmer MP (United Kingdom)
Senator Barry Ward (Ireland)
Oleksandar Merezhko (Ukraine)
Mykola Kniazhytskyi (Ukraine)
Eva Decroix (Czechia)
Pavel Fischer (Czechia)
Fatmir Mediu MP (Albania)
Senator André Gattolin (France)
Samuel Cogolati (Belgium)
Representative Georges Dallemagne (Belgium)
Garnett Genuis MP (Canada)
Hon. Irwin Cotler (Canada)
Hon. Pierre J. Dalphond (Canada)
Hon. Marilou McPhedran (Canada)
James Bezan MP (Canada)
Fabian Molina MP (Switzerland)
Miriam Lexmann MEP (European Union)
David Lega MEP (European Union)
Reinhard Bütikofer MEP (European Union)
Sujeet Kumar MP (India)
Antonio Miloshoski (North Macedonia)
Boris Mijatović MdB (Germany)
Michael Brand MdB (Germany)
Gyde Jensen MdB (Germany)
Simon O’Connor MP (New Zealand)
Ingrid Leary MP (New Zealand)
Senator James Patterson (Australia)
Peter Khalil MP (Australia)
Senator Claire Chandler (Australia)
Cătălin Teniță MP (Romania)