For “malicious cyberattack” today (28.05.2025) accused the Czech Republic her Chinawhich appears to have had a network used for confidential communication at the Czech Foreign Ministry.
Indeed, the Czech Republic has accused China of trying to intervene and mix in her internal affairs through manipulation, propaganda and cyberattacks, the Czech foreign minister said.
The Attacks are ongoing by 2022 and committed by the cyberattack team APT31which according to the Czech Republic, which is a member of the EU and NATO, is linked to the Chinese Ministry of State Security.
The Chinese Embassy in Prague did not respond immediately to a request for comment, while the Chinese ambassador was summoned for explanations by the competent Czech authorities.
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavski told X that after identifying the attack, The ministry has launched a new system of increased security communications system.
China is interfering in our society – through manipulation, propaganda, and cyberattacks.
Like the recent one against @Czechmfa. We detected the attackers during the intrusion.
Our key security institutions responded, investigated thoroughly – and now we’re going public.
At the… pic.twitter.com/AvHTBGOthN– Jan Lipavský (@janlipavsky) May 28, 2025
“I called the Chinese ambassador to make it clear that such hostile actions have serious consequences for our bilateral relations,” Foreign Minister Jan Lipavski wrote on X.
«The Czech Republic’s government strongly condemns this malicious cyberattack against its critical infrastructure“, The government said in a statement.
NATO stands on the side of the Czech Republic, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said today. “We are in solidarity with the Czech Republic after the malicious cyberattack against its Foreign Ministry,” Rutte said in a statement.
«We observe with increasing concern the evolving motif of malicious cyberattacks from the People’s Republic of China“, He added.
The EU’s reaction was similar
“The European Union and its member states, along with international partners, are solidarity with the Czech Republic regarding the malicious cyberattack aimed at its Foreign Ministry,” EU foreign policy chief Kaya Kaya said in a statement.
The EU member states are increasingly constituting the target of cyberattacks by the Currenta in recent years and China should do more to prevent themhe added afterwards.
Kaya Callas also stressed that the EU is condemning these attacks, which, she said, are contrary to the internationally agreed norms of how states should behave in cyberspace.
Today, the EU holds a Chinese state-backed actor responsible for a malicious cyber campaign targeting Czechia.
This is a clear and unacceptable violation of international norms.
We stand firmly with Czechia.
My statement on behalf of the EU → https://t.co/bsJXhFuO8j pic.twitter.com/ebJpXbyOYC
– Kaja Kallas (@kajallas) May 28, 2025
‘We call all states, including China, to abstain from such behavior. States should not allow their territory to be used for malicious governments, ”he said.
Callas stated that The EU is ready to take further action if needed to preventto discourage or respond to malicious behavior in cyberspace.