Cyber stakeholders watching for progress in U.S.-China trade talks

The cybersecurity policy community is looking for signs that U.S.-China trade talks will lead to a comprehensive agreement that covers intellectual property theft and reins in cyber-enabled economic espionage, which U.S. officials and independent observers say China has ratcheted up amid the escalating trade battle.

“My hope is they reach a comprehensive agreement” addressing hacking as well as separate issues like forced technology transfers, said former State Department cybersecurity coordinator Christopher Painter. “If there is no deal, then the commercial...