China on Monday expressed "serious concerns" about a report that New Zealand and United States spy agencies planned to hack into a data link between the Chinese Consulate and its visa office in Auckland.
At a daily news briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei urged relevant countries to immediately stop harming China's interests online.
The plan was revealed in documents from U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden and reported on by "Herald on Sunday," a New Zealand newspaper.
According to the report, the plan by New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) and the NSA appeared to be aimed at tapping data flowing between the Chinese Consulate and its visa office in Auckland.
The Chinese Embassy in New Zealand issued a statement on Sunday, saying that China is concerned about the report and attaches great importance to cyber security.
