China on Sunday accused the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) of carrying out cyberattacks on its National Time Service Center, warning that any damage to the facility could have disrupted network communications, financial systems, and power supply.

The Ministry of State Security alleged in a WeChat post that the U.S. agency exploited vulnerabilities in the messaging services of a foreign mobile phone brand in 2022 to steal sensitive information from devices belonging to staff at the National Time Service Center. The ministry did not disclose the brand.

It further claimed that between 2023 and 2024, the NSA used 42 types of “special cyberattack weapons” to target multiple internal networks of the center and attempted to infiltrate a key timing system. While the ministry said it had evidence, it did not provide details in the statement.

The National Time Service Center is responsible for generating and distributing China’s standard time and provides timing services to critical sectors including communications, finance, power, transport, and defense. Chinese authorities said they had issued guidance to the center to mitigate the risks.

“The U.S. repeatedly accuses others of what it does itself and continues to hype claims about Chinese cyber threats,” the ministry said.

In recent years, Western governments have alleged that hackers linked to the Chinese government targeted officials, journalists, and corporations. China’s latest statement could further escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing, which are already strained over trade, technology, and Taiwan.

The U.S. Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Source: AP