Cybersecurity

Jack Lew calls out China on cybersecurity

Jack Lew
David A. Grogan | CNBC

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew called out China on cybersecurity on Tuesday, saying the U.S. government remains "deeply concerned about government-sponsored cyber theft from companies and commercial sectors." (Tweet This)

"We have a shared interest and a joint responsibility to pursue policies that support the global economy as well as uphold and continue to improve the global economic and financial architecture," Lew said in prepared remarks for the opening session of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. "That includes responsibilities to abide by certain standards of behavior within cyberspace."

Lew said both countries will discuss the matter further.

The U.S. has accused China of hacking into the Office of Personnel Management computer system and stealing the personal records of millions of U.S. government workers. China denies involvement.

In comments welcoming a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu Yandong to the Washington conference, the treasury secretary also said the countries will "work to make progress" on exchange rate reforms.

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"Together, the United States and China account for a third of global GDP and nearly 40 percent of recent global growth. We have an enormous stake in each other's economic performance," Lew said.

"As the world's two largest economies, a mutually beneficial economic relationship is of great importance not only to the prosperity of our own peoples, but to the health and development of the global economy."

China has recently been working toward enacting a number of economic reforms aimed at making the yuan freely convertible in international markets.

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Lew said the U.S. supports China's reform agenda, "including efforts to allow the market to play a more decisive role in the economy and rely more on consumption to drive China's economic growth."

"As part of these reforms, it is critical that China continue to move to a more market-determined exchange rate and a more transparent exchange rate policy."