China has accused the United States National Security Agency (NSA) of orchestrating "advanced" cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure during the Asian Winter Games held in February 2025.
According to China's state-run news agency Xinhua, authorities in the northeastern city of Harbin—where the Games took place—identified three NSA agents allegedly involved in the operation: Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson. The trio has been placed on a national wanted list following investigations conducted by Chinese cybersecurity police.
Xinhua reported that the cyberattacks targeted essential pre-Games systems, including platforms managing athlete registration, arrival and departure logistics, and competition entries. The systems stored a vast trove of sensitive personal data related to participants, staff, and officials.
Authorities claim that beyond the attacks on the Games, the same NSA operatives had "repeatedly carried out cyberattacks on China's critical information infrastructure" and had been involved in operations against major Chinese technology firms, including Huawei.
The report also alleges involvement by two major US academic institutions—the University of California and Virginia Tech—though it did not elaborate on the nature or extent of their alleged participation in the cyber operations.
The accusations come at a time of heightened diplomatic and economic tensions between the United States and China. The two countries are already embroiled in a deepening trade war that has led to retaliatory measures on both sides, including travel advisories for Chinese citizens visiting the US and a halt on American film imports into China.
While the US has previously accused China of cyber espionage and intellectual property theft, this is one of the most direct and detailed accusations leveled by Beijing against Washington regarding state-sponsored cyberattacks.
