US, China reach agreement on guidelines for requesting assistance fighting cyber crime

US Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson greet State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun of China prior to a meeting on cybercrime and related issues at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, December 1, 2015. [Photo/IC]

WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO - The United States and China have reached an agreement on guidelines for requesting assistance on cyber crime or other malicious cyber activities, the US Justice Department said on Wednesday.

The agreement was reached in talks in Washington this week among officials including US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Chinese Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun.

The Justice Department said in addition to the agreement, China and the United States will conduct "table top exercises" in the spring with a number of scenarios designed to improve understanding of the expectations for response and cooperation.

The talks had long been planned to follow a landmark agreement between the two countries reached in September. The next round will come in June, the Justice Department said.