White House press secretary Josh Earnest side-stepped a questions Monday about whether the administration is considering issuing sanctions against China because of the nation’s cyber-espionage.
“When talking about economic sanctions, I’ve often noted that it would be strategically unwise for us to discuss potential sanctions targets because that would only give the potential targets … the opportunity to take steps that allow them to evade those sanctions,” Earnest told reporter traveling to Alaska with the president on Air Force One.
Earnest also would not confirm or deny assertions from Director of National Intelligence James Clapper that China is responsible for the massive hack into the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which compromised millions of Americans’ personal information.
“I have refrained from comment on those comments and declining to characterize any conclusions that may or may not have been reached on the intelligence — or the evidence that’s been collected so far,” Earnest said.
The Washington Post Sunday reported that the Obama administration is developing a package of sanctions against Chinese companies and individuals who have benefited from their government’s cyber-theft of U.S. trade secrets.
According to the report, which cites several administration officials, the administration is still deciding whether to issue the sanctions, but a final determination is expected soon.
The action would come at a sensitive time. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in Washington next month for his first state visit, complete with a 21-gun salute and state dinner. Last year, Obama secured an agreement with China’s leaders to cut carbon emissions drastically by 2030, a deal both leaders plan to highlight during Xi’s visit.
When asked if a U.S. decision to slap sanctions on Chinese companies could prompt Xi to cancel his trip to Washington, Earnest wouldn’t speculate, but he noted that “it is not secret to leaders in China that President Obama and other leaders in the U.S. government have significant concerns with Chinese behavior in cyberspace.”
Earnest pointed to Justice Department indictments last year of five Chinese military officials for their involvement.
“Our concerns are not a surprise to anyone, and certainly are not a surprise to anyone in the Chinese government,” he said.
