China has condemned the United Kingdom for political manipulation under the guise of cybersecurity, urging London to revoke sanctions on Chinese companies and stop smearing and vilifying China.

The response followed the UK government's announcement on Tuesday to sanction two Chinese companies accused of conducting cyberattacks on the UK and its allies and of having links to the Chinese government.

"China opposes and fights hacking in accordance with the law," Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday. "We also firmly oppose disinformation driven by a political agenda."

China has lodged serious representations with the UK in both Beijing and London, Guo said.

In a statement on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in London called the UK's "illegal, unilateral" sanctions a deliberate smear of China, carried out in collusion with the United States.

Guo said China is itself a major victim of cyberattacks. He cited a case uncovered by state security authorities in October that provided conclusive evidence that the US National Security Agency had infiltrated the National Time Service Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"It is noteworthy that it was the UK that served as one of the staging grounds for this US cyberattack," Guo said, noting that China has provided relevant information to the UK side. As a member of the Five Eyes alliance and NATO, the UK should clarify its role in US cyberattacks targeting China's critical information infrastructure, he said.

"Cybersecurity is a common global challenge. We urge the UK to immediately correct its wrong approach, abandon double standards and political schemes, and work with China in a truly responsible and constructive manner to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in cyberspace."

Guo also addressed reports that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit Beijing and Shanghai from Jan 29 to 31. China attaches importance to the development of bilateral ties and stands ready to deepen exchanges at all levels, he said.

"As far as I know, the Chinese side has not yet discussed specific issues, such as the dates of Starmer's visit, with the UK side," he said.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn