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Thayer Consultancy Background Briefing:

ABN # 65 648 097 123


China and Industrial Espionage
Cyber Style Against Vietnam
Carlyle A. Thayer
August 24, 2017

BuzzFeed just reported, China is boosting its phishing attacks against Vietnam and
stepping up assaults on Vietnamese officials.
The article claims that a Chinese government hacker group is peppering Vietnamese
bureaucrats with phishing emails in attempt to gain advantage in upcoming trade
talks. In this article, an expert on Chinese policy said the Chinese, like other state
actors, want to know about trade negotiations and diplomats talking points before
they have to confront them in negotiations. We think the reference to trade
negotiations here might be RCEP [Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership]
and APEC [Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum]. We request your assessment
of the following:
Q1. What is your evaluation of the experyts statement?
ANSWER: I agree with the expert on Chinese trade policy. China, like many other
states, is not shy about purloining or gaining unauthorized access to confidential trade
matters from other countries to give them an advantage in trade negotiations.
Q2. Would this be a constant source of threats for any Southeast Asian diplomat from
both trade and the political strategic perspectives?
ANSWER: Most definitely. The cyber age has introduced new vulnerabilities into
government systems designed to protect state secrets. This is especially the case
where a state does not or cannot afford to take steps to constantly upgrade computer
security systems.
Q3. China is regarded as one of the most aggressive nations in the world when it
comes to economic espionage. Do you agree with this?
ANSWER: It is my understanding that China is viewed as one of if not the most
aggressive state engaged in economic espionage through human agents and cyber
espionage in the eyes of the Australian and U.S. security agencies.
Q4. What is your take on President Tran Dai Quang's call last week for tightening
control on cybersecurity? Do you think Vietnam is aware of China's threat? Have they
been more cautious about China's potential attacks since the Chinese hacking
Vietnam's airports regarding South China Sea disputes last year?
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ANSWER: Vietnam is well aware of the cyber threat that China poses to Vietnam. The
cyber-attack on Vietnams airports was only the most recent example of Chinese
hacking in Vietnam. Official government websites have been hacked and defaced. Just
prior to the 12th national congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in January 2016,
a Vietnamese was sentenced for providing China with classified information.
No doubt other major powers are also involved is cyber espionage.

Suggested citation: Carlyle A. Thayer, China and Industrial Espionage Cyber Style
Against Vietnam, Thayer Consultancy Background Brief, August 24, 2017. All
background briefs are posted on Scribd.com (search for Thayer). To remove yourself
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Thayer Consultancy provides political analysis of current regional security issues and
other research support to selected clients. Thayer Consultancy was officially
registered as a small business in Australia in 2002.

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