Manufacturing of 'spy' story to stain China's reputation

Chinese businessman Su Bin, according to some media reports, pleaded guilty to "cyber espionage" charges almost at the same time that China's Foreign Ministry announced President Xi Jinping's participation in the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on Thursday and Friday.

No wonder some media outlets and US officials are trying to cast a shadow over Beijing-Washington ties before Xi's meeting with US President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the nuclear summit. With vivid descriptions and seemingly "credible evidence", the reports have painted the picture of a plot in Su's case which resembles those in James Bond movies and some Hollywood blockbusters to catch eyeballs.

According to US Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin, the admission of guilt by Su sends a strong signal that a heavy price has to be paid for stealing intelligence from the US and its enterprises, and Washington will - and has the capability to - capture those who do so and hold them accountable. An official from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's cyber section said the US should be on high alert against cyber threats because its adversaries are continuously raising their capabilities.