China objects to news of a man arrested in Britain on suspicion of spying for Beijing. This was a “political sham”, claimed a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in London.
“We strongly oppose this and call on relevant parties in the UK to immediately stop anti-China political manipulation and not carry out such false political actions,” the spokesperson said.
The Sunday Times newspaper announced that a man in his twenties was arrested in Edinburgh in March under the ‘Official Secrets Act’. As a parliamentary researcher, he is said to have had contact with several Conservative MPs. He is also said to have lived in China for some time.
In the same investigation, a man in his thirties was arrested in Oxford. Both have been temporarily released on bail, pending the continuation of the trial in early October. Police confirmed the newspaper report.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed “deep concern” about “Chinese interference in British parliamentary democracy” to Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday. This was done on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in India.
But “the claim that China is suspected of ‘stealing British intelligence’ is completely fabricated and is nothing more than malicious slander,” the Chinese side now says.
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