Chinese authorities have accused three alleged US operatives of orchestrating cyberattacks on national infrastructure during the Asian Games in Harbin this February.

The individuals, identified by Harbin police as Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson, are said to have worked through the US National Security Agency (NSA).

The attacks reportedly targeted systems critical to the Games' operations, including athlete registration, travel, and competition management, which held sensitive personal data.

Chinese state media further claimed that the cyber intrusions extended beyond the sporting event, affecting key infrastructure in Heilongjiang province. Targets allegedly included energy, transport, water, telecoms, defence research institutions, and technology giant Huawei.

Authorities said the NSA used encrypted data to compromise Microsoft Windows systems in the region, with the aim of disrupting services and undermining national security.

The Foreign Ministry of China denounced the alleged cyberattacks as 'extremely malicious,' urging the United States to halt what it called repeated intrusions and misinformation.

The UD Embassy in Beijing has yet to respond, and the allegations come amid ongoing tensions, with both nations frequently accusing each other of state-backed hacking.

Only last month, the US government named and charged 12 Chinese nationals in connection with cyberespionage efforts against American interests.

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