Beijing accused the United States of “slander” after two Chinese nationals were indicted for seeking to steal coronavirus vaccine research and hacking hundreds of companies, AFP reported.

“The Chinese government is a staunch defender of cyber security, and has always opposed and cracked down on cyber attacks and cyber crime in all forms,” said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

The US must “immediately stop its slander and smearing of China on cyber security issues,” he told a regular press briefing in Beijing.