China’s new Premier Li Keqiang today rejected allegations from the US and other nations of carrying out “state sponsored” cyber attacks, calling it “presumption of guilt”.

Premier Li said hacker attacks in the cyber space is a worldwide problem and China itself is one of the major targets of such attacks.

“China does not support but indeed oppose such attacks,” he told reporters at his first press conference in Beijing.

Li made the remark in response to a question at the press conference held after the annual session of China’s top legislature closed this morning.

“We should not make groundless accusations against each other and spend more time doing practical things that will contribute to cyber security,” Li said.

US President Barack Obama last week said that some cyber attacks on US firms and infrastructure originating in China were “state sponsored”.

Also, a US congressional report last year named China as “the most threatening actor in cyberspace“.

Recent US reports alleged that China’s People’s Liberation Army detachment in Shanghai was directly involved in mass cyber attacks.

Responding to accusations, Li termed them as “presumption of guilt” and called for the two sides to work together to address the issue.

China’s People’s Liberation Army has already rejected the charges. The army said Chinese military websites were attacked an average 1.44 lakh times a month in 2012 by foreign hackers, with 62.9 per cent from the United States.

Newly elected Chinese President Xi Jinping held telephone talks with US President Barack Obama last week, with cyber security figuring high.

Xi outlined China’s principle and stance on the matter, saying the issue of cyber security is increasingly prominent and a security challenge confronting all countries.

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