Bob Corker lauds charges against Chinese hackers

Monday, May 19, 2014

photo Senator Bob Corker

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said today that "it's about time" charges were filed against alleged Chinese hackers accused of stealing American trade secrets through cyber-espionage.

"It's outright theft," Corker said about the practice during a stop in downtown Chattanooga.

The Justice Department filed criminal charges against five hackers in the Chinese military today. The efforts were directed at six American victim companies in the nuclear power, metals and solar products industries: Westinghouse Electric, U.S. subsidiaries of SolarWorld AG, U.S. Steel, Allegheny Technologies and Alcoa. The United Steel Workers union was also targeted.

Corker, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he's "really glad" the Obama administration is taking the step of bringing criminal charges.

He said he has traveled to China and talked with American business people about the problem.

"There's basically two types of companies in America - those who have been hacked and know it, and those who have been hacked by the Chinese and don't know it," Corker said.