'Cyberattack vs Palau indicates China ties'

TOKYO — Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr. said on Wednesday his country, one of Taiwan's few diplomatic allies, had suffered a major cyberattack, pointing the finger at China.

The Pacific archipelago is one of just 12 states worldwide that diplomatically recognize self-ruled Taiwan, which China insists is part of its territory.

Taipei said on Monday that it was ready to help Palau beef up its digital defenses after the New York Times reported that more than 20,000 documents were stolen from Palau's government.

BOTHERED BY BEIJING Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr. speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in the Japanese capital Tokyo, on June 5, 2024. AFP PHOTO

The documents were taken in March, Whipps said on Wednesday, soon after Palau signed a new 20-year economic and security deal with the United States.

«China wants to weaken those relationships [and] show our vulnerability, and what a great way to do it by hacking our system,» he told reporters in Japan's capital Tokyo.

«This is really the first major attack that we've seen on government records,» he said, a day after he agreed with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to strengthen cooperation, including in defense.

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The documents later appeared on the dark web, and ransomware group DragonForce claimed responsibility for the hack, the New York Times said.

Whipps said analysis of the data showed that the ransomware was likely developed in Russia, sent out of Malaysia, and «it looks like it has ties back to China.»

«The reason we say maybe there's government involvement is that they weren't interested in money. They really didn't demand any money,» he added.

With no financial motive behind the attack, the president branded it «harassment» and said the leak had included «people's personal information.»

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«This is not the first incident where China doesn't respect our boundaries,» Whipps said, referring to «research vessels conducting activities within our waters, without our permission.»

Asked about the alleged cyberattack on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said she was not aware of the reports.

«China has always opposed