A top U.S. diplomat says the growing incidence of hacking that originates inside China is undermining trust between the two countries and harms Beijing's long-term interests.

According to The Associated Press, U.S. undersecretary of state for economic growth, Robert Hormats, said on Tuesday, April 9 that Washington believes cyber intrusions originating from China that result in the theft of sensitive information have reached very high levels. He urged China to take firm action against hacking.

He said Washington is taking an "active role" in addressing the problem and will continue to raise its concerns with top Chinese officials.

Hormats' comments in an address to an Internet Industry conference in Beijing follow a recent report accusing a Chinese military unit of carrying out a years-long hacking attack against U.S. companies.