New Zealand, Allies Condemn China for Hacking Attacks on Parliament

New Zealand has formally accused China of conducting a state-sponsored cyberattack on its parliamentary services in 2021. The accusations align with concerns raised by the United States and the United Kingdom, who have also alleged that China-linked hackers have carried out cyber espionage campaigns within their nations. According to assessments by New Zealand's intelligence services, a group known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT40) is believed to be responsible for the cyber activities targeting New Zealand's parliamentary counsel office and parliamentary service.

In response to the alleged cyber espionage, New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters condemned the attacks as unacceptable and called on China to cease such activities. The claims made by New Zealand follow the announcement of criminal charges and sanctions against seven hackers by American and British authorities, who are accused of stealing British voter data and targeting a wide array of individuals, including lawmakers and defense contractors.

The Chinese Embassy in New Zealand has denied the allegations, asserting that China does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. The embassy's statement came after New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) established the connection between the cyberattacks and the Chinese state-sponsored actors. The international community continues to scrutinize these developments as New Zealand joins its allies in expressing heightened concerns over cybersecurity and the integrity of national institutions.