Thread: Bad news for Chinese business reputations: Fake Companies, Hackers, & Spy Agencies

In news that's probably not going to help the perception of Chinese businesses around the world, today it was reported that hackers may be contracting with Chinese spy agencies while also carrying out their own projects behind shadowy front companies, making millions stealing COVID data and trade secrets.

The hackers work "sometimes for personal financial gain and other times on behalf of the Ministry of State Security, China’s civilian intelligence agency. In some cases, the men allegedly probed the networks of U.S. firms working on a coronavirus vaccine. U.S. prosecutors have accused the men of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in trade secrets and other data."

Intrusion Truth details work of suspected Chinese hackers who are under indictment in US - CyberScoop

Originally Posted by TTraveler

In some cases, the men allegedly probed the networks of U.S. firms working on a coronavirus vaccine. U.S. prosecutors have accused the men of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in trade secrets and other data."

Which is probably how they developed their superior covid 19 vaccine.

Well colour me surprised

Seen on another site in reference to the story:

"People in the pre-modern era did not think of copying something from other people as stealing, that's how technologies have worked for thousands of years."

I hadn't thought of this angle before. So does China see itself as being in the "pre-modern" era, hence newfangled western concepts of Intellectual Property rights don't apply？

We used to complain about the japs for the same thing. Back in the day, the poms used to complain about the yanks for the same thing. bleet bleet. Where the factories are, the technological innovation will follow- by fair means and foul.

Copying is not technological innovation.

Also the thousands of high-speed railways, the bridges, all the huge infrastructure, isn't a copy? (and not to speak about the aircraft carrier...)

They bought a couple of Siemens high speed trains, cancelled any further orders and reverse engineered the ones they had.
The lack of intellectual property protection stifles innovation.

Originally Posted by Cujo

They bought a couple of Siemens high speed trains,

And did Siemens lay the ten thousands km of the rails and whatever it needs around? Perhaps also the bridges, dams and cities? Somewhere are the incredible figures what they have built within 30 last years (but perhaps it's not true...)

BTW, Siemens makes also similar jobs in USA...

Originally Posted by Klondyke

And did Siemens lay the ten thousands km of the rails and whatever it needs around? Perhaps also the bridges, dams and cities? Somewhere are the incredible figures what they have built within 30 last years (but perhaps it's not true...)

BTW, Siemens makes also similar jobs in USA...

WTF are you on about ?

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Also the thousands of high-speed railways, the bridges, all the huge infrastructure, isn't a copy? (and not to speak about the aircraft carrier...)

The aircraft carrier was a 2nd hand ship that was purchased under the guise of building a floating casino.

The domestically produced one is an upgraded replica of that.

Interesting stories behind the ships: China's First Aircraft Carrier | Liaoning Before-and-After Photos

What the U.S. Can Learn From China’s Infatuation With Infrastructure
Beijing’s building boom inspires awe in even the staunchest U.S. critics, but emulating it is a different story

April 3, 2021 5:30 am ET

Even China’s staunchest critics express awe at its capacity to build bridges, railways and other infrastructure, feats of engineering made possible by a command-style political system.

President Biden is the latest American leader to invoke China’s accomplishments while pressing Congress to allocate spending for a far-reaching infrastructure program. He says more than $2 trillion to fix bridges and mass transit, modernize airports and refurbish neighborhoods, extend broadband internet coverage and replace lead piping is the cost to “outcompete China.”

Sleek airports, grand stadiums and stylized skylines captivate visitors to China. Infrastructure may be the most tangible—and admired—aspect of a modernization drive that in a generation transformed a poor country into the U.S.’s primary strategic and economic rival.

Donald Trump also entered the presidency highlighting China and pledging to rebuild America. “They have bridges that are so incredible,” Mr. Trump said at a 2016 rally.

“There’s a real China envy,” says Thomas J. Campanella, a historian who specializes in urban planning at Cornell University who used to live in eastern China. “The Chinese seem to be able to do this stuff we used to do.”

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What the U.S. Can Learn From China’s Infatuation With Infrastructure - WSJ

^Just the opposite is correct: no cities (something like Detroit), no bridges (just ferries) and no high-speed. Just the old Amtrak what Joe used to drive to see his mother (only, as usually, mixed up the stgory and years...)

Perhaps hypnosis could work.

. . . with an anvil

Originally Posted by TTraveler

I hadn't thought of this angle before. So does China see itself as being in the "pre-modern" era, hence newfangled western concepts of Intellectual Property rights don't apply？

In my limited experience Chinese or maybe Asians in general only place value of "concrete" items, thus ideas have no intrinsic value so can be "borrowed" with no ill effect.

Originally Posted by panama hat

Cujo: Bought some from Siemens and cancelled further orders,

Bought some space stations from NASA and cancelled further orders. So, now they spray us by 10,000 debris...

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Bought some space stations from NASA and cancelled further orders. So, now they spray us by 10,000 debris...

Are you drunk again?

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Bought some jet engines. Still haven't quite figured them out yet!

80 YEARS FROM INVENTION, CHINA IS STRUGGLING WITH JET ENGINES : 財團法人中華民國台灣飛行安全基金會

Originally Posted by panama hat

Are you drunk again?

At last a valuable (and very witty) comment, we had missed so...

13th Five-Year Plan: China achieves world's firsts in bridge construction
(some stolen from Siemens and did not order further...)

China's 13th Five-Year Plan period from 2016 to 2020 has witnessed a big leap in bridge development. During this period, the country has made constant improvements in bridge design and construction, setting multiple world records.

Over 14,000 railway bridges have been built to open to traffic covering 8,864.1 kilometers during the period, among which 6,392 are high-speed railway bridges totaling to more than 6,343 kilometers, according to the China Railway Corporation.

Read more
13th Five-Year Plan: China achieves world's firsts in bridge building - CGTN

Originally Posted by Klondyke

13th Five-Year Plan: China achieves world's firsts in bridge construction
(some stolen from Siemens and did not order further...)

China's 13th Five-Year Plan period from 2016 to 2020 has witnessed a big leap in bridge development. During this period, the country has made constant improvements in bridge design and construction, setting multiple world records.

Over 14,000 railway bridges have been built to open to traffic covering 8,864.1 kilometers during the period, among which 6,392 are high-speed railway bridges totaling to more than 6,343 kilometers, according to the China Railway Corporation.

Read more
13th Five-Year Plan: China achieves world's firsts in bridge building - CGTN

Anyone superstitious with numbers?

The 13th five year plan ended with COVID, and for Chinese, 13 isn't even an unlucky number.

Instead, 14 is the scary number in China, and many buildings lack a 14th floor for that specific reason. It's pronounced "shi si," which sounds similar to the word for "death." I'm a bit surprised that unlike Chinese builders, they didn't skip it and do the 15th 5 year plan instead.

Wonder if this 14th period will live up to its reputation and hold a great misfortune for the country.