Chinese spies are targeting the UK ‘aggressively’ with Beijing ‘penetrating every sector of the economy’ and fears over influence in universities, warns Parliament’s intelligence watchdog
Chinese spies are targeting the UK ‘prolifically and aggressively’ with Beijing managing to penetrate ‘every sector of the economy’, a watchdog warned today.
The alarming picture was revealed in a long-awaited report by Parliament’s intelligence watchdog.
It raises concerns about Chinese influence in UK universities and the country’s intention to become a ‘permanent and significant player’ in the civil nuclear energy industry.
The Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) is also critical of the UK Government‘s response, questioning the trade-off between economic interest and security concerns.
The report, published this morning, said the UK is of ‘significant interest to China when it comes to espionage and interference’, placing the country ‘just below China’s top priority targets’.
Chinese spies are targeting the UK ‘prolifically and aggressively’ with Beijing managing to penetrate ‘every sector of the economy’, a watchdog warned today. Pictured, Xi Jinping
The alarming picture was revealed in a long-awaited report by Parliament’s intelligence watchdog
It said: ‘China’s state intelligence apparatus – almost certainly the largest in the world with hundreds of thousands of civil intelligence officers…. targets the UK and its interests prolifically and aggressively, and presents a challenge for our Agencies to cover.’
Chaired by Conservative MP Sir Julian Lewis, the nine-member committee scrutinises the work of the UK’s intelligence agencies including MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
Its reports are approved by the Prime Minister before release.
Sir Julian said: ‘China’s state intelligence apparatus – almost certainly the largest in the world, with hundreds of thousands of civil intelligence officers (leaving aside their military capability) – targets the UK and its interests prolifically and aggressively, and presents a challenge for our Agencies to cover.
‘China’s human intelligence collection is prolific, and it has a highly capable and increasingly sophisticated cyber-espionage operation.’
The report said: ‘Much of the impact which China has on the UK’s national security is overt – through its economic might, its takeovers and mergers, and its interaction with Academia and Industry. China’s size, ambition and capability have enabled it to successfully penetrate every sector of the UK’s economy.’
The latest findings emerged amid ongoing tensions between the West and the rising Asian power.
The Government has characterised the growing influence of China as an ‘epoch-defining challenge’ but some backbench MPs have pushed for a more hawkish approach to Beijing.
A Daily Mail investigation this week revealed a man claiming to be a tourist tried to infiltrate a private meeting in the Palace of Westminster in which MPs and journalists heard talks from Hong Kong democracy activists Christopher Mung (left) and Finn Lau (right)
