China's cyberespionage will increase, despite pushback

Significance

This report is only the latest illustrating how Chinese actors have stepped up their offensive capabilities. China is ever more of a peer with the United States and other advanced digital powers in this area.

Impacts

• Chinese hacking operations, like any, run the risk of creating collateral damage through unintended infection of non-targeted systems.
• Diplomatic pressure is ever less likely to change China's conduct; China sees US hacking as an example to emulate and evidence of hypocrisy.
• Actions against Chinese individual hackers or groups may change China's tactics, but not shift its overall strategic trajectory.