Obama: Some China hacking state-sponsored (VIDEO)

GlobalPost

In an interview with ABC News, President Barack Obama says he believes some of China's hacking is state-sponsored.

While he downplayed congressional talk of a cyber war, Obama did tell George Stephanopoulas the US is engaging in "tough talk" with China over the alleged attacks on America.

More from GlobalPost: Obama adds voice to accusations of China hacking

"We've made it very clear to China and some other state actors that, you know, we expect them to follow international norms and abide by international rules," the president said in the interview released today.

"And we'll have some pretty tough talk with them. We already have."

The comments come after a series of warnings from top US security officials, who said cyber attacks had replaced terrorism as the country's main security threat, BBC News reported.

More from GlobalPost: Q&A: China's hacker army revealed

They suggest Washington's patience has worn thin after numerous diplomatic initiatives and that military may play a new role by disrupting hackers in China or elsewhere that could cause great harm, James Lewis, a cybersecurity specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told AFP.

China has denied the hacking reports and claims it is the victim of such attacks instead.

Obama planned to meet with key US business leaders over cybersecurity later today at the White House, according to UPI.

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