UK Parliamentarians Warned of Chinese Espionage Threat: MI5 Alert and Government Response
There have been recent warnings to Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentarians regarding potential espionage attempts by China. The UK security service MI5 has issued an alert to those working in Westminster, cautioning them about two recruitment headhunters believed to be working for Chinese security services. The alert emphasizes that the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is actively seeking to establish relationships with individuals in the parliamentary community through professional networking sites, recruitment agents, and consultants. Specifically, two individuals have been identified as reaching out on LinkedIn on behalf of MSS, with other similar profiles suspected of being fronts for espionage. MI5 has issued this alert due to the targeted and widespread nature of the activity.
In response to the espionage alert, the government is scheduled to make a statement in parliament at 12.30pm addressing China espionage and the government's security response. This warning follows the collapse of a prosecution involving two individuals suspected of spying for China. As this is a developing story, updates will be provided as more details become available. Stay informed by refreshing the page for the latest information. For real-time breaking news alerts, download the Sky News app on your smartphone or tablet. You can also stay updated by following Sky News on WhatsApp and subscribing to their YouTube channel for the latest news updates.