Germany Summons Chinese Ambassador Over 2021 Cyber Attack on Federal Cartography Agency

Germany has summoned China’s ambassador over a 2021 cyber attack on the federal cartography agency by state actors for espionage purposes. German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said the target was the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy in Frankfurt, which analyses detailed satellite images, among other things. He said Germany resolutely opposes such cyber activities directed against the country and advocates responsible and rules-based behaviour in



cyberspace. 

Germany’s official media reported that this is the first time the Chinese envoy in Berlin has been summoned since 1989 when the Chinese government reacted with violence to student-led protests in Tiananmen Square. According to media reports, several governments in recent years have accused China of launching cyberattacks on government and private company data, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Germany.