President Barack Obama on Wednesday called for an international framework to prevent the Internet from being "weaponized" as a tool of national aggression, while holding out the prospect of a forceful U.S. response to China over hacking attacks.
With Chinese President Xi Jinping set to visit Washington next week, Obama said at a conference with business leaders that his talks with Xi would include cybersecurity, a topic that has become a point of friction in U.S.-Chinese relations.
A person briefed on the White House's thinking said on Tuesday the United States does not plan to impose sanctions on Chinese entities for economic cyberattacks ahead of Xi's visit to avoid what would be seen as a diplomatic disaster.