Britain, like the rest of Europe, does not know what to do about China. It is a relationship it needs but does not want to have; one that comes with serious security threats. Relations became all the muddier over the weekend when a British parliamentary worker was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing.
The story was broken by The Sunday Times. It revealed that the male suspect, who is in his twenties, previously spent some time living and working in China, where he might have been recruited as an agent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The paper added that the figure, who it described as allegedly being involved in “one of the most damaging breaches of security involving a hostile state at Westminster,” is understood to be linked to a number of senior Tory MPs, including “several” who are “privy to classified or highly sensitive information.”
The accused has since said he is “completely innocent.” He, quoted in The Daily Telegraph, insists his career has instead been dedicated to exposing the “threat” posed by the CCP.
Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who has long been critical of the UK’s relationship with China (such that the alleged spy is said to have “[had] a particular issue” with him), said the case must be taken seriously. He wrote:
If true, this is very serious and of great concern. It shows that we cannot afford to be complacent about the threat that the CCP poses to the function of Parliament and our democratic way of life.
Another man in his thirties was arrested at a similar time on suspicion of espionage-related offences. Both arrests were conducted under the Official Secrets Act.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he raised “very strong concern” to Chinese officials about interference in British democracy at the G20 summit in India. He has previously described working out relations with China as an “epoch-defining” challenge, but has caused some confusion on this front after taking a softer approach to the issue once in office than his leadership campaign might have suggested.
It is yet to be seen whether a tougher stance will be adopted following what a senior government source described as “a major escalation by China. We have never seen anything like this before.”
