China calls US arrogant and selfish after hacking indictment

A poster displayed during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, shows two Chinese citizens suspected to be with the group APT 10 carrying out an extensive hacking campaign to steal data from U.S. companies. The Justice Department is charging two Chinese citizens with carrying out an extensive hacking campaign to steal data from U.S. companies. An indictment was unsealed Thursday against Zhu Hua and Zhang Shillong. Court papers filed in Manhattan federal court allege the hackers were able to breach the computers of more than 45 entities in 12 states. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

BEIJING (AP) — China has called the U.S. arrogant and selfish after it charged two Chinese citizens with stealing trade secrets and other sensitive information from American government agencies and corporations.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying accused the U.S. on Friday of undermining other countries' development in order to defend its own hegemony.

Hua spoke at a regular news briefing after she had condemned the U.S. in a written statement earlier in the day for "fabricating facts" on the hacking charges.

The U.S. indicted Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong for allegedly carrying out an extensive cyberespionage campaign on behalf of Beijing's main intelligence agency.

They are accused of breaching computers linked to companies in at least 11 other countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom and India.