Of late, China has been the news in a good way, with its development bank and other initiatives, so it is no surprise that a U.S. Internet security firm has seen fit to rehash tired old cyber spying stories.
FireEye released a report Monday alleges that hackers from China were engaged in cyber espionage operations focused on government and business in Southeast Asia and India as far back as 2005.
Computer forensics firm Mandiant Corp, acquired by FireEye in 2013, has tirelessly churned out "research reports" targeting China.
Even given that many cyber firms have close ties with government, many FireEye board members have worked in the U.S. government and military - including former air force officer and former head of Mandiant Kevin Mandia, now FireEye president.
Why release the "report" now? The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is coming together nicely, the international trade and infrastructure projects known as "the belt and road initiatives" are gaining support.
The timing indicates yet another silly attempt to blacken China's positive image and alienate China.
Presumably commercial concerns should be factored in: Asian clients gullible enough to be influenced by the report may take precautions against China. Those precautions would probably involve anti-hacking services by Western cybersecurity firms; FireEye, for example.
The U.S. desperately wants its position as principal guest dancer in the Asia-Pacific theater back. After all, it has been aspiring to choreograph the whole show.
China has nothing to gain and a lot to lose through cyber spying. Such trivial, benefit-over-morality tricks run against the country's diplomatic traditions and long-term interests.
Events commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Bandung Conference will be held in Indonesia later this month. Six decades after leaders gathered there to discuss independence, peace and economic prosperity, Asian and African countries are closer, and more prosperous, than ever.
In a post-Snowden, wikileaks world, attacks like FireEye's latest embarrassing attempt, achieve nothing except drawing further attention to the hypocrisy of the U.S. itself.
Maybe it's time to drop the petty jealousy?
