CHINA
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese government on cyber-security issues; and if he will make a statement. [159064]
Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), hosted the London Cyber Conference in 2011 and attended the Budapest Cyber Conference in 2012. The Chinese Government was represented at both conferences. The Secretary of State would welcome the Chinese Government attending the next Cyber Conference in Seoul in October, where we can continue to engage on important cyber issues, however, we continue to follow a policy of not commenting on the country of source of cyber attacks against British interests.
Cyber security remains a top priority for the UK Government, and we already cooperate constructively with China at officials' level on issues of common cyber concern such as criminal activity. We aim to broaden this relationship to address wider cyber issues on prosperity and security which underpin our mutual bilateral interests.