Pentagon report accuses "Chinese actors" of economic spying

The US Pentagon released a report arguing that “Chinese actors” have engaged in economic spying and said that China spent US$120-180 billion on its defense in 2011, Reuters reported. “Chinese actors are the world’s most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage,” the Pentagon said in its annual report to Congress on China’s military capacity, adding that the spying “will represent a growing and persistent threat to US economy security.” David Helvey, the acting assistant secretary for defense, said that cyber espionage originated in China, though he did not accuse the Chinese government of direct involvement in the attacks. The report also said that China’s military spending was far higher than the official figures because much of its build-out occurs off-budget. China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations as peddling a “China military threat” story and called on the US to end the annual report.