China Issues Serious Allegation Against the US

The government of China has publicly accused United States of conducting cyber-espionage activity targeting its time-keeping infrastructure. According to China’s Ministry of State Security (China), the alleged intrusions have focussed on the National Time Service Centre (NTSC) — the national agency responsible for maintaining accurate official time across China. ABP Live

Why the Time Centre Matters

Accurate time and synchronisation are critical for many systems: communication networks, financial transactions, electricity grids and global time standard coordination. China’s statement warns that tampering with or disrupting the NTSC could have far-reaching consequences for national infrastructure. ABP Live

The Accusation & Its Implications

China said the US, possibly through its intelligence agencies, has “serious breaches” affecting the NTSC. While China did not publicly disclose detailed technical proof, it flagged the potential risk of disruption to telecom networks, banking systems and power supply — all of which depend on precise timing. ABP Live
The US has not publicly responded to the claims so far.

Cybersecurity Experts: A Rare But Critical Domain

Experts note that attacks on time-infrastructure are unusual but extremely sensitive, because even small timing errors can cascade into major problems across many dependent systems. ABP Live This incident highlights how digital infrastructure is not only about data but also about fundamental synchronisation mechanisms.

What’s at Stake

• National security: Timing systems are part of critical national infrastructure.

• Global coordination: International time standards and financial transactions rely on consistent time signals.

• Tech-ecosystem trust: An attack or interference with timing services undermines trust in digital systems.

• Geopolitical tension: The accusation adds another layer to the growing cyber rivalry between China and the US.

Whether or not the alleged espionage is definitively proven, the very accusation by China signals how vulnerable key infrastructure — beyond just servers and networks — has become in the digital age. Protecting time-services may sound abstract, but in reality it underpins nearly everything we take for granted in modern life.