As the two powers continue to spar over trade, technology, sanctions and Taiwan, cyber is increasingly being used by the two nations to achieve some of their goals in the defense, economic and political realms. 

Just last week, U.S. intelligence agencies released a joint advisory based on a Microsoft report that found a Chinese state-sponsored cyber actor, known as Volt Typhoon, has been accessing credentials and network systems of critical infrastructure organizations in parts of the U.S., including the territory of Guam, which has a military base of strategic interest to the U.S.

“It’s interesting that China is caught doing it in Guam that certainly fits with their military planning, but this is just the future of conflict,” said James Lewis, senior vice president and director of the strategic technologies program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Lewis, who wasn’t too surprised by the Microsoft report, said cyberspace is increasingly becoming “part of modern warfare.”

In response to the discovery of Volt Typhoon, lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee released a statement last week expressing their worry about the malicious activity.

“We are extremely concerned by the news of Chinese state-sponsored malicious activity against U.S. critical infrastructure networks, and the activity in Guam is especially concerning considering the heightened risk to the U.S. military,” the lawmakers said. 

Read the full report at TheHill.com. 

Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we’re Rebecca Klar and Ines Kagubare — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.