Why did China hack the world's phone networks?

[Voltaire2]

1. Every major nation with the capability is engaged in cyber espionage and warfare.

We are hacking China, China is hacking us.

From what has been reported, at least some of the goals with Salt Typhoon included intercepting communications of government officials and agencies. It has also been reported that this is ongoing and that discovering and eliminating the threat has not yet been successful.

We are no longer in a world where we can act with impunity. What we do is going to be done to us.