Panel gets a month to probe snooping reports by Chinese firm

New Delhi: An expert committee, set up following reports that a Chinese technology company was monitoring over 10,000 prominent Indians, has been given a month’s time to study the entire issue and make its recommendations, the government said on Thursday.
At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the government has already taken up the matter with the Chinese side.
“The government has constituted an Expert Committee under the National Cyber Security Coordinator to study these reports, evaluate their implications, assess any violations of law and submit its recommendations within 30 days,” he said.
Srivastava said following media reports on the issue, the MEA had taken it up with the Chinese side.
“The Chinese side has conveyed that the company is a private entity. The Chinese side has also claimed that there is no connection between the company concerned and the Chinese government,” he said.
The Indian Express newspaper reported that the Shenzhen-based technology firm was tracking over 10,000 prominent Indians from diverse fields including politics, business and civil society.
Responding to a media query on the issue, Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong said China has always been a “staunch defender” of cyber security.
“The cyber security law of the People’s Republic of China stipulates that network operators carrying out business and service activities must follow laws and administrative regulations,” she said.
Rong said China is willing to work with the Indian side to enhance cooperation on cyber security. (PTI)