MI5 points pressing espionage alert after Chinese spy plots come to mild
MI5 has issued an urgent warning to MPs after discovering a string of efforts by Chinese spies to “recruit and cultivate” Westminster insiders.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis told the Commons that Chinese intelligence officers are pretending to be companies or external headhunters in order to snare MPs, Lords and Parliamentary staff. It is understood they are using LinkedIn profiles in the names of two women trying to collect information.
Mr Jarvis told stunned MPs: “Earlier today, MI5 issued an espionage alert to members of this House, members of the other place (the Lords) and Parliamentary staff to warn them about ongoing targeting of our democratic institutions by Chinese actors.”
He warned that China has “a low threshold for what information is considered to be of value”. Mr Jarvis said: “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 and 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.
“It is not just parliamentarians who should be concerned by this parliamentary staff, economists, think tank employees, geopolitical consultants and government officials have all been targeted for their networks and access to politicians.
“I urge all parliamentarians and their staff to be wary that China has a low threshold for what information is considered to be of value .”
He said Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had spoken to her Chinese counterpart, and was “clear” that such activity “will not be tolerated”. Mr Jarvis announced the Government would take steps to tackle “covert political funding” in order to root out potential spies.
He also said ministers are working on new powers to “counter foreign interference”.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle wrote to parliamentarians on Tuesday highlighting how the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is trying to reach out to those in Westminster.
“Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf,” he said.
The alert names two headhunters Amanda Qiu (BR-YR Executive Search) and Shirly Shen (Internship Union), who are both known to be using LinkedIn profiles to reach out on behalf of China’s MSS, the email said.
The MI5 alert said: “The Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) seek to collect sensitive information on the UK to gain strategic advantage.
“Following recent examples of attempts to target UK Parliament for intelligence gathering, this espionage alert seeks to highlight typical MSS tradecraft and methodology from a specific group of highly active officers.”
Mr Jarvis announced £170million will be awarded to renew the sovereign-encrypted technology officials use. He added that £130million will be invested into building the UK’s resilience against threats posed by states such as China.
