𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The Chinese embassy said that allegations it is spying on the UK by having agents pose as HR recruiters is “pure fabrication” and “malicious slander”.

Chinese spies are posing as headhunters to target MPs, peers and staff in an industrial-scale snooping operation, security chiefs warned.

MI5 issued an espionage alert on Tuesday morning to warn of an “ongoing targeting of our democratic institutions by Chinese actors”.

But the Chinese embassy, based in London, warned the UK government to “stop this self-staged charade of false accusations and self-aggrandisement”.

It comes after Security Minister Dan Jarvis announced new measures to protect secure government communications from Chinese espionage.

Responding to the allegations, a spokesperson for the embassy said: “These claims by the UK side are pure fabrication and malicious slander. 

“We strongly condemn such despicable moves of the UK side and have lodged stern representations with them.

“We urge the UK side to immediately stop this self-staged charade of false accusations and self-aggrandisement, and stop going further down the wrong path of undermining China-UK relations.”

The prime minister’s spokesman confirmed this afternoon that the government has not yet called in the Chinese ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang.

Economists, thinktank employees and Government officials have also been targeted as Beijing a “low threshold” for what information is useful.

Two recruitment firms, Amanda Qiu (BR-YR Executive Search) and Shirly Shen (Internship Union), were accused of passing on potential targets to Beijing.

MI5 issued the espionage alert amid growing unease over the threat posed by Beijing following the high-profile trial in which two suspected spies were accused of passing information from Parliament to China. 

Fears have intensified that more headhunters could be passing on targets, leading to renewed calls for China to face further restrictions in the UK and for Labour to cancel planned diplomatic trips.

The Chinese Ministry of State Security is trying to “lay the groundwork for long-term relationships”, MPs were told.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis told MPs: “Our intelligence agencies have warned that China is attempting to recruit and cultivate individuals with access to sensitive information about Parliament and the UK Government.

“MI5 have stated that this activity is being carried out by a group of Chinese intelligence officers often masked through the use of cover companies or external headhunters.”

He added: “This activity involves a covert and calculated attempt by a foreign power to interfere with our sovereign affairs in favour of its own interests, and this Government will not tolerate it.”

Chinese spies prolifically try to steal state secrets, academic research, business information and harass and kidnap dissidents living in the UK.

The controversy has led to claims China should be placed in the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs).

China hawk Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: “Bringing forward this whole issue, the China espionage case, following on from the collapse spy case.

“Doesn’t he look back at this and think this is peculiar, because we’ve got Hong Kongers here in the UK now with bounties on their heads, threatened daily by China, dragged into illegal police stations, and then the minister talked about all the other things, threats to our democracy, threats to our industry, cyber threats, threats to our universities, and threats to our MPs, who are sanctioned and who daily have to face these challenges.

“Doesn’t that make a bit of a mockery of the idea that China is not a continuing threat and that they are not now in the upper tier of Firs?”

 Mr Jarvis said: “We will always, always, challenge any country, including China, that attempts to interfere, influence or undermine the integrity of our democratic institutions, and we will take all necessary measures to protect UK national security.

“That is why we have taken the action today and I am clear that further steps can absolutely be taken.

“Disrupting and deterring China’s espionage activity wherever it takes place, updating our security powers to keep pace with the threat, helping those who work in politics to recognise, resist and report the threat, and working with partners across the economy to strengthen their security against the threat.

“Our strategy is not just to co-operate. We will engage China where necessary, but we will always act to defend our interests and challenge where our values are threatened.”

Shadow Home Office minister Alicia Kearns said China should “not get away with attacks on our democracy”, adding: “Instead of the communications plan and private closed-door meetings announced today, we urge the Government to put China in the enhanced tier of the Firs scheme.”

She continued: “We also hear of multiple Government visits planned to China before Christmas and the New Year. Will these now be cancelled? Because what message does it send when, despite an attack on this House, our Parliament, ministers are happily jetting off to stride down red carpets with the government responsible?”

Ms Kearns also pressed the Government to reject the proposed embassy in London or require the Chinese government to pay “for sensitive underground cables to be rerouted away” from it.