The United Kingdom government released a report that Chinese spies are targeting British officials holding sensitive positions in politics, business and defense in an increasingly sophisticated espionage campaign to gain access to state secrets.
The government responded on Thursday to a report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee that found in July that the UK’s approach to the Chinese threat had been inadequate. “Chinese recruitment programs have sought to poach British and allied nationals in key positions and with sensitive knowledge and experience,” the government said.
“In terms of espionage, China’s collection of human intelligence is extensive, using a vast network of individuals embedded in local society to access people of interest – often identified through social media,” the British report said Government. “Decision makers, from sitting politicians to former political figures, senior government officials and the military – are inevitably prime targets.”
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British police catch Chinese spies working in high government ranks: officials
A general view of the Houses of Parliament on October 20th 2022. in London, England. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
The new report follows the arrest of a young parliamentary researcher accused of spying for China. Two weekends ago, the Metropolitan Police confirmed the researcher was among two men arrested under the Official Secrets Act in March. The researcher, who denies any wrongdoing, is said to have had access to several Conservative MPs, according to the BBC.
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly declined to say on Sunday whether he had confronted the Chinese government about the espionage allegations against the parliamentary researcher and declined to comment on “security-related matters,” the BBC said. Instead, Cleverly said he and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had spoken to Chinese leaders about “interference in our democracy.”
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Jinping arrives to attend the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting during the APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit on November 19, 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Jack Taylor/Pool Photo via AP)
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According to Portal, Britain’s MI5 has said it is conducting seven times as many investigations into Chinese activities as it did in 2018 and plans to investigate even more.
The British government has set up a unit to protect elections from foreign interference. Last year, MI5 issued a rare security alert warning MPs that a suspected Chinese spy was “implicated in political interference activities” in Britain, Portal said.
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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is said to have spoken to the Chinese government about “interference” in British democracy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
There was also a newspaper report this week that MI5 had warned the ruling party that two potential legislative candidates were Chinese spies.
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London’s Times newspaper also warned in a report last week that MI5 had raised concerns that two candidates in 2021 and 2022 had specific links to China. The ruling Conservative Party followed this advice and prevented her from being included in the pool of candidates that could be put forward.