---
title: "Most military, business leaders call Chinese hacking a serious problem for U.S."
description: "Almost nine in 10 retired military leaders said cyber attacks from China are a serious problem for the United States."
date: "2013-05-29"
authors:
  - name: "Drew DeSilver"
    job_title: "Senior Writer/Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/drew-desilver/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/05/29/most-military-business-leaders-call-chinese-hacking-a-serious-problem-for-u-s/"
categories:
  - "Defense & National Security"
  - "Global Tech & Cybersecurity"
  - "Online Privacy & Security"
---

# Most military, business leaders call Chinese hacking a serious problem for U.S.

A new government [report](http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/confidential-report-lists-us-weapons-system-designs-compromised-by-chinese-cyberspies/2013/05/27/a42c3e1c-c2dd-11e2-8c3b-0b5e9247e8ca_story.html?hpid=z3) says designs for more than two dozen advanced weapons systems have been compromised by Chinese hackers, further raising concerns about what government and industry leaders say is an organized cyber-spying by China against U.S. defense contractors and government agencies.

[![FT_Cyberattacks](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2013/05/FT_Cyberattacks.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2012/09/18/chapter-2-threats-and-concerns/#china-concerns)

While reports of such electronic [espionage](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/07/world/asia/us-accuses-chinas-military-in-cyberattacks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) have become more frequent, experts have been more concerned about Chinese hackers trying to obtain military and industrial secrets from U.S. firms. In a [Pew Research survey last year](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2012/09/18/chapter-2-threats-and-concerns/#china-concerns), 87% of retired military officers called cyber attacks from China a serious problem for the United States, as did 70% of business leaders -- higher than any other issue in Chinese-American relations. (Intellectual-property infringement came in second, with 62% of business leaders and 60% of retired military calling it a serious problem.)

Close to two-thirds of academics (66%) and government officials (63%) surveyed also said Chinese cyber attacks represented a serious threat. But only 50% of the general public rated Chinese hacking that high on the threat list; most people were far more concerned about economic issues, such as the amount of U.S. debt held by China (78%) and the loss of American jobs to China (71%). [Read more](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2012/09/18/chapter-2-threats-and-concerns/#china-concerns)