Presidential candidate accuses China of hacking US computers

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July 6, 2015 10:12 AM

Clinton's language on China appeared to be far stronger than that usually used by President Barack Obama's Democratic administration.

US Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton.

According to sources, U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused China on Saturday of stealing commercial secrets and "huge amounts of government information," and of trying to "hack into everything that doesn't move in America."

Clinton's language on China appeared to be far stronger than that usually used by President Barack Obama's Democratic administration, reports say.

According to the reports, while speaking at a campaign event in New Hampshire, Clinton said she wanted to see China's peaceful rise.

"But we also have to be fully vigilant, China's military is growing very quickly, they're establishing military installations that again threaten countries we have treaties with, like the Philippines because they are building on contested property," said Clinton, who was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.

"They're also trying to hack into everything that doesn't move in America. Stealing commercial secrets ... from defense contractors, stealing huge amounts of government information, all looking for an advantage," she said.

Asked about the remarks, a White House official declined to comment.

In the most recent case involving suspicions of Chinese hacking, Obama administration officials have said China is the top suspect in the massive hacking of a U.S. government agency that compromised the personnel records of at least 4.2 million current and former government workers, sources say.

China has denied hacking into the computers of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

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