Yellen Tells Chinese Vice Premier of ‘Serious Concerns’ About ‘Malicious’ Cyber Breach

A Treasury official informed Congress that a Chinese hacking operation breached the department’s network and stole unclassified documents.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a press conference at the Beijing American Center of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing on July 9, 2023. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held a virtual meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Jan. 6, a week after the Treasury Department revealed that Chinese hackers were behind a major cybersecurity breach of the federal agency.

During the meeting, Yellen conveyed her “serious concerns” over the “malicious cyber activity” conducted by Chinese state-sponsored hackers and its implications for the U.S.-China relationship, according to a summary of the exchanges released by the Treasury Department.