MI5 Sounds Alarm on Chinese Espionage in UK Parliament

MI5 has warned British lawmakers of Chinese agents posing as headhunters and companies to gather information, with suspicions of Chinese espionage escalating. The UK government plans to tackle this threat with counterespionage initiatives as tensions between China and the UK rise over security concerns.

The UK's MI5 security agency has issued a warning to lawmakers, alerting them to attempts by Chinese agents to collect intelligence and influence parliamentary activity. The Chinese operatives are reportedly posing as headhunters or companies, using platforms like LinkedIn to reach out on behalf of the Chinese government.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis revealed this as a covert effort by Beijing to interfere in British politics. In response, a counterespionage plan will be launched to address the threat. The Chinese embassy in London dismissed the accusations as false and criticized the UK for potentially harming Sino-British relations.

The warning follows the collapse of a spying case against two individuals accused of working for China, which stirred political tensions. With looming decisions on a new Chinese embassy in London, the British government is ramping up security measures, including protections for universities and political processes against foreign interference.

(With inputs from agencies.)