Cyber warriors in China repeatedly hacked into an unclassified White House computer network, stealing data before IT experts patched the system to fix the breach, the Financial Times reported.

China has developed a formidable army of cyber warriors that, in a conflict with the United States, could unleash chaos on U.S. computer systems and disrupt the largest economy on Earth.

As well, China has proven it can inflict severe disruptions to U.S. and allied satellites, with China using a ground-based interceptor missile to shoot down one of its own aging weather satellites, and on a separate occasion using a ground-based laser to disable a U.S. military satellite.

China has passed a law stating that if Taiwan doesn’t voluntarily submit to rule by Beijing, then the People’s Liberation Army will invade the island nation and seize it.

The Chinese intruders, suspected to be sponsored by the Beijing government, stole White House emails. Because China isn’t an open society, with strict government controls, it is unlikely that multiple coordinated attacks could occur without government sanction.

Chinese hackers also have invaded computers at the Pentagon, and in the presidential campaigns of Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the successful Democratic hopeful, and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican standard bearer.