Hackers Union of China (HUC), the earliest and largest hacker group in China and thought to rank number five in the world in terms of size, has announced its dissolution and shut down its website.

Membership of the group was once as high as 80,000 and it organized many website attacks on overseas government sites as well as those of schools and private companies, and engaged in virtual skirmishes with groups of foreign hackers.

It often reacted to international incidents with knee-jerk and supposedly patriotic messages, targeting anyone they saw as their enemy with statements about being ‘willing to die for the motherland.’

According to Shenzhen's media, one of founders of HUC, who uses the code name Lion, claimed in an open letter that the union has existed in name only for a long time because they are no longer passionate about their group, and its website has been closed down several times before.

“However,” he added, “I am reluctant to let go of things that accompanied me while I grew up. That is why HUC has lasted so long."

(Chinanews.com CRI.com February 22, 2005)