The indictment on Monday of a group of Chinese military officers for allegedly conspiring to hack into the systems of five US companies and a labour union was a symbolic step and a significant moment in US-China relations.
The five defendants, whose online monikers included “UglyGorilla” and “KandyGoo”, are unlikely ever to set foot inside a US courtroom. Even if they were found guilty, this would do little to disrupt a vast network of hackers that includes military units and a broader cyber militia.
Yet the charges send a clear message that Washington will not continue to tolerate China’s massive and wide-ranging efforts to gain access to American trade secrets.