It cited the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center of China (CNCERT/CC), a cybersecurity technical centre that leads efforts to prevent and detect cybersecurity threats to the country.

“Monitoring by the CNCERT/CC found that since late February, China’s internet has continuously faced cyberattacks from abroad. These overseas groups attacked by taking control of computers in the country to carry out cyberattacks on Russia, Ukraine and Belarus,” it quoted the centre as saying.

“After analysis, most the addresses for these attacks came from the US,” it said, adding that a few came from other countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.

Cyberattacks have been a major point of tension between the US and its allies and China, as the former has accused China of carrying out a global cyberespionage campaign.

China says that it does not engage in cyberattacks and has called such allegations “malicious smears”.