Chinese Embassy denies PH envoy's alleged phone hacking | ABS-CBN
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Chinese Embassy denies PH envoy's alleged phone hacking
Chinese Embassy denies PH envoy's alleged phone hacking
Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File
Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — The Chinese Embassy has denied Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez's story that he was a constant target of Chinese hackers.
MANILA — The Chinese Embassy has denied Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez's story that he was a constant target of Chinese hackers.
In a phone call with ABS-CBN News, Romualdez said he had told Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian during a Vin d'honneur in Manila that his phone was being hacked.
In a phone call with ABS-CBN News, Romualdez said he had told Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian during a Vin d'honneur in Manila that his phone was being hacked.
Last week, Romualdez talked about supposedly being a constant target of Chinese hackers during a forum at the American University School of International Service in Washington.
Last week, Romualdez talked about supposedly being a constant target of Chinese hackers during a forum at the American University School of International Service in Washington.
"With regard to the report of Ambassador Romuldez saying he talked to Ambassador Huang about the so-called Chinese hacking his phone, I verified the story with Ambassador Huang, he was surprised by such a story since he hasn't met Ambassador Romualdez for a long time," a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy said Monday.
"With regard to the report of Ambassador Romuldez saying he talked to Ambassador Huang about the so-called Chinese hacking his phone, I verified the story with Ambassador Huang, he was surprised by such a story since he hasn't met Ambassador Romualdez for a long time," a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy said Monday.
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"The two Ambassadors [have] never touched upon the so-called Chinese hacking issue and Ambassador Huang doesn't know where Ambassador Romuldez got this story from," the spokesperson added.
"The two Ambassadors [have] never touched upon the so-called Chinese hacking issue and Ambassador Huang doesn't know where Ambassador Romuldez got this story from," the spokesperson added.
But Romualdez said Huang might no longer remember the conversation and that he had been voicing serious concern over the alleged activities since 2023.
But Romualdez said Huang might no longer remember the conversation and that he had been voicing serious concern over the alleged activities since 2023.
"I was warned by US Intelligence friends that my phone has been a target of Chinese hackers. It has been hacked several times and I had to change my phone three times. I’m on my fourth phone now," Romualdez said.
"I was warned by US Intelligence friends that my phone has been a target of Chinese hackers. It has been hacked several times and I had to change my phone three times. I’m on my fourth phone now," Romualdez said.
Romualdez said that other key Philippine government officials were also being targeted by alleged Chinese hackers based on US intelligence reports.
Romualdez said that other key Philippine government officials were also being targeted by alleged Chinese hackers based on US intelligence reports.
"On several occasions, I had to fly back to Manila — at my personal expense, because the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) cannot fund it — to report to the President personally due to these extremely important matters of national security," Romualdez said.
"On several occasions, I had to fly back to Manila — at my personal expense, because the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) cannot fund it — to report to the President personally due to these extremely important matters of national security," Romualdez said.
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In August 2023, Romualdez warned of a smear campaign allegedly originating from China against Philippines government officials, which was said to be an effort to strain relations between the Philippines and its allies.
In August 2023, Romualdez warned of a smear campaign allegedly originating from China against Philippines government officials, which was said to be an effort to strain relations between the Philippines and its allies.
These included a fake recall order against Romualdez and misinformation about a Vietnamese flag being burned in the Philippines, which coincided with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo's visit to Vietnam, he said.
These included a fake recall order against Romualdez and misinformation about a Vietnamese flag being burned in the Philippines, which coincided with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo's visit to Vietnam, he said.
CYBERATTACKS
Romualdez also warned of cyberattacks against Philippine government institutions that he said started as soon as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022.
Romualdez also warned of cyberattacks against Philippine government institutions that he said started as soon as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022.
He said that the President was aware of the alleged cyberattacks, noting that he was "very concerned" about them.
He said that the President was aware of the alleged cyberattacks, noting that he was "very concerned" about them.
"Many of our institutions are severely compromised, that is why we are spending a lot of money on our cybersecurity. This is an ongoing effort," Romualdez said.
"Many of our institutions are severely compromised, that is why we are spending a lot of money on our cybersecurity. This is an ongoing effort," Romualdez said.
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China has been publicly accused of launching cyberattacks against a number of governments.
China has been publicly accused of launching cyberattacks against a number of governments.
A compilation of incidents made by the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies showed that in 2024 alone, governments such as the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Palau, Germany, Thailand, and the US — one in October 2024 during the Presidential campaign and two incidents in November against a US three-star general and eight US Telecommunication providers — were targeted by Chinese hacking activities.
A compilation of incidents made by the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies showed that in 2024 alone, governments such as the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, Palau, Germany, Thailand, and the US — one in October 2024 during the Presidential campaign and two incidents in November against a US three-star general and eight US Telecommunication providers — were targeted by Chinese hacking activities.
Eight countries namely Australia, the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand issued a joint advisory in July 2024 to warn against malicious Chinese state-sponsored cyber activity in their networks.
Eight countries namely Australia, the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand issued a joint advisory in July 2024 to warn against malicious Chinese state-sponsored cyber activity in their networks.
In the Philippines, Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy assured during a Malacañang Palace briefing last January that all hacking attempts against the Philippine government had been thwarted and that no government data had been stolen.
In the Philippines, Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy assured during a Malacañang Palace briefing last January that all hacking attempts against the Philippine government had been thwarted and that no government data had been stolen.
The statement came after a Bloomberg report posted on January 7, 2025, claimed that Chinese state-sponsored hackers had infiltrated the network of the Office of the President and several government agencies involved in coastal defense to allegedly steal documents related to the South China Sea dispute.
The statement came after a Bloomberg report posted on January 7, 2025, claimed that Chinese state-sponsored hackers had infiltrated the network of the Office of the President and several government agencies involved in coastal defense to allegedly steal documents related to the South China Sea dispute.
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Uy confirmed that the cyberattacks were persistent but were unsuccessful.
Uy confirmed that the cyberattacks were persistent but were unsuccessful.
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