China tried to 'headhunt' powerful Brits, UK Government admits

14 September 2023 , 17:46

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China's President, Xi Jinping, pictured on a visit to London (Image: Getty Images)

China has tried to "headhunt" Government, military and industry figures with "sensitive" knowledge, ministers have admitted.

In a response to a scathing report from Britain's spy watchdog, the Government conceded that "some Chinese action crosses the line from influence to interference" and more needed to be done to tackle the threat. The reply, tabled by Rishi Sunak, says: "Chinese recruitment schemes have tried to headhunt British and allied nationals in key positions and with sensitive knowledge and experience, including from Government, military, industry and wider society."

More investment is needed to ensure the UK has the resources it needs to respond to the "long-term" challenge that China poses, it said. It comes after Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee revealed in July that Beijing had penetrated "every sector" of the UK economy and accused ministers of failing to recognise the issues involved. It warned that China's spying apparatus is one of the world's largest - "dwarfing" the UK's agencies - and targets interests "prolifically and aggressively".

Since then, the Tories have been forced to admit they dropped two potential election candidates following an MI5 warning they may have been spying for China, while it was revealed a parliamentary aide was arrested in March amid allegations he was also spying for Beijing. The researcher, who has not been charged, has said he is "completely innocent."

Rishi Sunak has come under pressure from his own MPs to take a tougher stance against China. A group of MPs, including ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, have been sanctioned by Beijing for speaking out over human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

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The PM said he was "acutely aware" of the "threat to our open and democratic way of life" from China. He added: "It remains an absolute priority for the Government to take all necessary steps to protect the United Kingdom from any foreign state activity which seeks to undermine our national security, prosperity and democratic values. I am clear-eyed about that challenge and will call out unacceptable behaviour directly just as I did last weekend with Premier Li at the G20 Summit in New Delhi."

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Lizzy Buchan