BEIJING (AP) – Chinese and American officials said Tuesday that they’re committed to bridging their differences on cybersecurity, as they held talks on the issue amid complaints over China-based hacking operations that the United States says may have already cost U.S. companies tens of billions of dollars.
Repeated meetings between the sides on cybersecurity indicate the seriousness with which the Obama administration regards the issue, the U.S. ambassador to China, Max Baucus, said at the start of the two-day talks in western Beijing.
“We’re here today to ensure implementation of agreements made by the two presidents, commitments that illustrate that we can work through areas of differences to reach areas of cooperation,” Baucus said, referring to an agreement that neither government will support commercial cyber-theft forged during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the White House in September.
Cyber issues are “an important element in our bilateral relationship,” the ambassador said. “Each step that we take enables us to have greater trust. We’re prepared to work hard with you to narrow our differences.”
Chinese Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun said China wants to “bring the discussions from policies on paper to actual implementation.”