China playing rough in superpower game

The U.S. Department of Justice accuses five Chinese military officers of cyber espionage, including the theft of intellectual property such as product designs from American companies. /CNN image

Still have any doubts about the Chinese playing rough on the world stage?

The U.S. grand jury indictment of five Chinese military officers last week on economic espionage charges is the latest proof of Beijing's relentless quest for superpower status. While only a symbolic legal gesture, the 31-count indictment accuses the spying suspects of hacking into the computer systems of American companies to steal information "that would be useful to their competitors in China," a prepared statement from the U.S. Department of Justice says.

"For too long, the Chinese government has blatantly sought to use cyber espionage to obtain economic advantage for its state-owned industries," FBI Director James Comey said.

The U.S. attorney who prosecuted the Chinese People's Liberation Army officers before the Western Pennsylvania grand jury condemned Beijing's cyber snooping.

"This 21st century burglary has to stop," U.S. Attorney David Hickton said. "This prosecution vindicates hard working men and women in Western Pennsylvania and around the world who play by the rules and deserve a fair shot and a level playing field."