The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines denied allegations of state-sponsored hacking after a Bloomberg report claimed Chinese hackers had infiltrated the Philippine government’s executive branch and stolen sensitive data over a yearslong campaign.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the embassy emphasized China’s consistent stance against cyberattacks, asserting that the country “firmly opposes and cracks down on hacking and cyberattacks in accordance with the law.”

The spokesperson dismissed the allegations as “groundless” and accused unnamed parties of using cyber issues for geopolitical gains.

“Who is the mastermind behind this hype farce, and who is using cyber issues to stir up the regional situation and seek geopolitical interests? The answer is self-evident,” the embassy said, without elaborating further.

The statement drew attention to the broader regional context, suggesting that the allegations were linked to ongoing issues in the South China Sea.

The Chinese government’s denial comes amid heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial disputes and cybersecurity concerns, as the Philippines continues to strengthen its defense partnerships with allies, including the United States.

A day earlier, a Philippine security official acknowledged a hacking attempt but assured that no “sensitive information” was accessed from Malacañang.

“Based on assessment of our cybersecurity experts, no sensitive information was compromised,” National Security Council’s spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said.