BEIJING (REUTERS) - Comments by the United States linking China to hacking attacks are irresponsible, China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday, after US officials said they were investigating whether China-based hackers compromised government employee data.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks at a daily news briefing.

The breach at the Office of Personnel Management is the latest in a string of intrusions into US agencies' high-tech systems, and appears to be one of the largest ever hacks of information on government workers.