Chinese espionage in the United Kingdom

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The People's Republic of China (PRC) and various organs of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have been accused of surveillance and espionage in the United Kingdom. UK officials, including experts at its MI5 intelligence agency, are fearful that China could shut down businesses in the nation with Chinese cyberattacks and spy equipment embedded in computer and telecommunications equipment. [1] [2]

Contents

According to Robert Hannigan, former Director of the Government Communications Headquarters, Chinese hackers have engaged in economic espionage against British universities and engineering companies, on behalf of the Chinese government. [3] [4]

History

MI5 has reportedly monitored Chinese espionage against Rio Tinto Group computers. [5]

In 2021, an advanced persistent threat group associated with the Hubei State Security Department in Wuhan, APT31, targeted the emails of Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China members and 43 United Kingdom parliamentary accounts. [6] [7]

In September 2023, British media reported that a British diplomat at the British embassy in Beijing discovered a listening device in the teapot that the Chinese officials gave to the diplomat as a farewell gift. After returning to Britain, the diplomat found the hidden bug inside the teapot when it was accidentally dropped and smashed on the floor. [8]

In 2023 it has been revealed that an individual known as "H6" or Yang Tengbo, alleged to be a Chinese spy, has been at the center of a controversy involving the UK government and the royal family. [9] [10] [11] H6 had connections with the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, and was invited to his birthday celebration in 2020. A royal aide, Dominic Hampshire, had given H6 permission to act on the duke's behalf when dealing with potential investors in China. The Home Office, under then-Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, barred H6 from entering the UK in 2023 due to alleged engagement in "covert and deceptive activity" on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A specialized tribunal in London upheld this decision, ruling that Braverman was justified in deeming H6 a risk to national security. A judge ruled the Chinese spy allegedly had an unusual degree of trust from the royal. Housing Minister, Jim McMahon, stated that revealing H6's identity is a matter for the courts, despite growing demand among MPs for more details. Former Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith, plans to pose an Urgent Question in parliament regarding the United Front Work Department, which is reportedly linked to H6. Sir Iain Duncan Smith has also warned there are many more like H6 in the UK. The Chinese embassy in London has denied the allegations, accusing some UK individuals of fabricating "spy" narratives to discredit China. Prince Andrew has ceased all contact with H6 following government concerns, while there are warnings of potential additional espionage activities in the UK. Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, emphasized the need to balance economic collaboration with China while addressing national security threats. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, has raised his concerns of the challenge China poses. [12]

In addition to concerns about espionage, MI5 is also worried about China covertly gaining influence. [13] In January 2022, BBC reported that MI5 issued a rare warning to UK Parliament Members (MPs), alleging that a Chinese agent, Christine Ching Kui Lee, had infiltrated the Parliament to interfere in UK politics on behalf of the Chinese government. According to the warning, Lee "established links" with current and aspiring MPs on behalf of the CCP and provided donations to politicians, funded by foreign nationals in China and Hong Kong. [13] [14] In December 2024, Christine Lee lost a legal challenge against MI5. She claimed that the security alert issued against her was politically motivated and violated her human rights. [15] However, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal unanimously rejected her case, with all three judges affirming that MI5 had acted for "legitimate reasons." [16] [17]

In January 2024, China's Ministry of State Security announced the arrest of a man with triple citizenship, accused of spying for the UK's MI6. The man, surnamed Huang, had allegedly gathered state secrets on repeated trips to China. In March of the same year, the UK and the U.S. jointly sanctioned Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology, a front company of the Chinese Ministry of State Security, and affiliated individuals for cyber intrusions targeting critical infrastructure and the UK Electoral Commission. [18] [19] [20] The espionage theme continued in April 2024, when two individuals were charged in the UK under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly spying on behalf of China. [21] A month later, in May, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed a cyberattack linked to China that compromised payroll data, including personal and financial details of defence personnel. [22]

2025 spying scandal

In October 2025 the Director of Public Prosecutions controversially dropped charges under the Official Secrets Act 1911 against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry. Cash has been a Parliamentary researcher for Alicia Kearns MP. He had also been director of the Conservative MP's China Research Group. [23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Michael (2009-03-29). "Spy chiefs fear Chinese cyber attack". The Times . Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  2. ↑ "MI5 alert on China's cyberspace spy threat". The Times . 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  3. ↑ Corera, Gordon (19 December 2018). Rohrer, Finlo (ed.). "Looking for China's spies". BBC News . Archived from the original on 20 December 2018.
  4. ↑ Fisher, Lucy. "Chinese students face ban amid security fears". The Times . Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  5. ↑ Chellel, Kit; Wild, Franz; Stringer, David (13 July 2018). "When Rio Tinto Met China's Iron Hand". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "APT31: the Chinese hacking group behind global cyberespionage campaign". Reuters . March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Seven Hackers Associated with Chinese Government Charged with Computer Intrusions Targeting Perceived Critics of China and U.S. Businesses and Politicians". United States Department of Justice . 2024-03-25. Archived from the original on 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  8. ↑ "Trouble brews after embassy worker finds spy bug in China teapot". The Times . 19 September 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  9. ↑ Wallis, William; Rathbone, John Paul (12 December 2024). "Alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew excluded from the UK" . Financial Times . Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  10. ↑ Brown, David; Mansey, Kate (13 December 2024). "Prince Andrew 'ceases all contact' with Chinese spy suspect". The Times . Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  11. ↑ "Alleged Chinese spy tied to Prince Andrew is businessman Yang Tengbo". Radio Free Asia . 13 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  12. ↑ "Sir Keir Starmer defends China policy after spy scandal". Yahoo News . 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  13. 1 2 Corera, Gordon; Scott, Jennifer (13 January 2022). "MI5 warning over 'Chinese agent' in Parliament". BBC News . Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  14. ↑ Haynes, Deborah (13 January 2022). "Christine Lee: MPs alerted about suspected Chinese agent - but UK authorities have limited tools to combat alleged attacks". Sky News . Archived from the original on 2 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  15. ↑ Tobin, Sam (11 July 2023). "Woman sues Britain's MI5 for calling her a Chinese agent". Reuters . Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  16. ↑ Hui, Sylvia (17 December 2024). "Lawyer accused of being Chinese spy loses legal case against UK intelligence agency". Associated Press . Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  17. ↑ Sheridan, Danielle (17 December 2024). "Alleged Chinese spy Christine Lee loses legal battle with MI5". The Telegraph . Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  18. ↑ "MI6 spy detained in China, authorities claim". BBC News . 2024-01-08. Archived from the original on 2024-02-28. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  19. ↑ Psaledakis, Daphne; Pearson, James (March 25, 2024). "US, UK accuse China over spy campaign that may have hit millions". Reuters . Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  20. ↑ Hui, Sylvia (2024-03-25). "US and UK announce sanctions over China-linked hacks on election watchdog and lawmakers". Associated Press . Archived from the original on 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
  21. ↑ "UK police charge two men with spying for China". Voice of America . Reuters. 2024-04-22. Archived from the original on 2024-04-22. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  22. ↑ Bulter, Alexander (2024-05-06). "UK's MoD 'hacked by China'". The Independent . Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  23. ↑ "Parliamentary researcher among two UK men charged with spying for China". The Independent . 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
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