China says it's incapable of hacking Reps' computers

The folks who brought you the Great Firewall of China and the Golden Shield are wholly incapable of breaking into the cyber-fortress that is the U.S. House of Representatives. So they say.

Accused by U.S. Reps Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) of hacking into their office computers, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang played aw-shucks dumb at a news conference. Reports AP:

Is there any evidence? ... Do we have such advanced technology? Even I don't believe it. . . . I'd like to urge some people in the U.S. not to be paranoid. They should do more to contribute to mutual understanding, trust and friendship between the U.S. and China.

Wolf said four of his computers had been hacked beginning in 2006; Smith said two computers at his global human rights subcommittee were attacked. Both are longtime critics of China's human rights policies.

Wolf said the FBI told him other House members' computers have been compromised, as well as least one House committee, by sources from within China.

The U.S. is investigating whether Chinese officials copied the contents of a laptop left unattended during a visit by Commerce Sec. Carlos M. Gutierrez. Officials in the U.S., Britain and Germany have accused the Chinese of attacking government and military networks.