US Presses on Cyberthreats

US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew wrapped up two days of meetings in Beijing that underlined how cybersecurity has moved to one of the top spots on the U.S.-China economic agenda.

Sec Lew, in his first trip abroad since assuming his post last month, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and other senior Chinese officials just a few days after they had taken their government posts. The early meeting was a signal of the significance both sides place on relations between the world's two largest economies. For the U.S., the meeting was a chance to demonstrate the importance the U.S. placed on confronting cyberattacks on U.S. corporations, with U.S. officials concerned that such attacks are conducted by Chinese state-directed entities. President Barack Obama had raised the issue of cybersecurity threats in a telephone call with Mr. Xi last week, according to the White House, and Sec Lew said he followed up. But it is far from clear Sec Lew made much headway on the matter in what was essentially a get-to-know-you session.