- Researcher Detained Under Official Secrets Act for Alleged Chinese Espionage
- Concerns Raised Over Chinese Interference in UK Parliamentary Democracy
- Arrests Reignite Debate on UK-China Relations and Espionage Threats
A researcher at the British Parliament was detained under the Official Secrets Act on suspicion that he was spying for the Chinese government.
Police have verified two men, one in his 20s and another in his 30s, were arrested under the act in March.
According to a report in the Sunday Times, the researcher had ties to several Conservative MPs.
Sunday morning, No. 10 reported that Rishi Sunak had raised concerns about Chinese interference with a senior Chinese official.
A spokesperson reported that the prime minister had conferred with Chinese Premier Li Qiang during the G20 summit in India and “expressed his grave concerns about Chinese interference in the United Kingdom’s parliamentary democracy.”
President Xi Jinping of China will not attend the summit.
The Sunday Times said that the researcher knew security minister Tom Tugendhat and foreign affairs committee head Alicia Kearns.
Several government sources refused to comment on matters of security.
The Metropolitan Police detained a 30-year-old male in Oxfordshire and a 20-year-old in Edinburgh.
Searches were also conducted at a third address in east London, in addition to the two residential properties.
Both men were taken to a south London police station and paroled until early October, the newspaper reported.
The Counter Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police, which oversees espionage-related crimes, is investigating.
The researcher reportedly spoke with Mr. Tugendhat before his September appointment as security minister.
According to reports, Mr. Tugendhat had minimal contact with the individual and none as a minister.
The Sunday Times reported that the unidentified man had resided in China for a time.
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns said she was aware of the paper’s report but declined to comment, adding: “While I recognize the public interest, we all must ensure any work of the authorities is not jeopardized.”
He defended the current posture towards China, stating that it was appropriate for the United Kingdom to “engage” with China, but Mr. Sunak had stressed the need to “proceed with caution.”
He added, “I am confident that whatever lessons the parliamentary authorities need to learn will be learned.”
Chinese espionage causes concern
The arrests will reignite the debate regarding the relationship between London and Beijing. Questions over whether more could have been done to prevent Chinese spying and Parliament involvement have arisen.
An unusual alert for parliamentary interference was issued regarding Christine Lee’s activities last year.
MI5 alleged that she had engaged in political interference, such as donating money to support the work of MPs. All of this was supposedly done on behalf of China.
China denies recently levelled claims of espionage or political influence against Australia and Canada.
In recent years, tensions have increased over both espionage and broader security concerns. But Washington and London have made efforts in recent months to stabilize relations with China.
In Beijing less than two weeks ago, British foreign minister James Cleverly said disengagement would not be “credible”.
Iain Duncan Smith, a member of the Conservative Party, stated in response to the arrests that it was “time for us to recognize the growing threat that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) under (President) Xi now pose.
He also questioned the UK’s approach to China, adding: “What price was Cleverly’s kowtow visit to Beijing?”
Conservative Party member Tim Loughton said, “This shows how thoroughly the CCP has entered British institutions.
“Yet again, the security of Parliament has been potentially compromised, reinforcing how we cannot view the CCP as anything other than a hostile foreign threat.”
Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee issued a long-awaited report in July, warning that the government had been sluggish to come to terms with the security risks from Beijing.
The report stated, “It appears that China has a high level of intent to interfere with the British government, targeting officials and bodies at multiple levels to influence UK political thought and decision-making relevant to China.
Espionage prosecutions were difficult to prosecute because being a foreign intelligence agent was not a crime.
MI5 and other intelligence agencies have long claimed that the Official Secrets Act was insufficient to fight hostile state activity. Both the United States and Australia have possessed a broader array of powers.
National security legislation providing new investigative powers for espionage and other security concerns went into effect in the UK this summer, but only after the arrest of the two men under the old Official Secrets Act.
