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The Official Google Blog reports that Google detected a "highly sophisticated and targeted attack" originating in China against them and against at least 20 other large business. Google says they have "evidence to suggest that a primary goal of the attackers was accessing the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists." Google says "We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China."

"# Google says hackers from China got into its Gmail system # Bruce Schneier says hackers exploited feature put into system at behest of U.S. government # When governments get access to private communications, they invite abuse, he says # Government surveillance and control of Internet is flourishing, he says"

A security expert looks at who's spying on whom... (hint: it's not just China)

But China is clearly among the most aggressive in this area. I remember being taught in the military that most espionage is industrial (by governments for industry) but Universities are also targets for various classified research, such as DARPA funded research. I think of perhaps shock physics, for example. Certain kinds of spying are essential for peace--that which is to determine "intent" of the other helps eliminate the ill-affects of paranoia. Other kinds can be detrimental to peace, such as China's many successful attempts at acquiring U.S. military technological and operational information.