The US military and its Chinese counterparts have engaged in cyberwar games simulations, it has been reported.
According to the Guardian, US and Chinese officials have already held a couple of meetings about simulated battles in cyberspace, citing increasing concerns in Washington about coordinated attacks on western governments and Chinese businesses.
Officials staged a simulation in Beijing in June last year and another one in Washington last December. The mock wars were organised through the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
The first exercise was designed to test the reactions of both countries to an infrastructure attack with a Stuxnet-like virus.
The second simulation tested their reactions to an attack on the US and China from the another country.
The fake wars allowed government officials in both countries to engage in an informal manner, defusing any potential conflicts. It is claimed this arrangement allows the US government to deter any military action, should either country think it was targeted for attack.
Jim Lewis, senior fellow and director at CSIS, told the Guardian that war games were necessary to reduce the probability of attacks by China.
"They are concerned about US military capabilities. They tend to think we have a grand strategy to preserve US hegemony and they see a direct challenge," said Lewis.
Both sides are also planning to repeat the process again in May.
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