Name: MI5 warns UK MPs of alleged Chinese espionage activity
Uploaded: 2025-11-18T19:45:54.931Z
Duration: 2 min 12 s
Description: A warning for British MPs about a spying threat from China.

A warning for British MPs about a spying threat from China.

London

Britain's intelligence agency MI5 has issued a warning to members of Parliament about alleged Chinese espionage activities, citing attempts to collect sensitive information and influence UK political affairs. MI5 identified two LinkedIn accounts, believed to be controlled by Chinese state security, that contacted MPs under false pretenses, offering freelance and consultancy opportunities to extract government information.

In response, the UK government announced a new set of anti-espionage measures aimed at disrupting and deterring threats from China and other state actors. The developments come amid renewed debate over the UK's approach to China following the collapse of a spy trial involving two British men, with ministers emphasizing that national security and democracy will be firmly protected.

MI5 warns UK MPs of alleged Chinese espionage activity

Britain's spy agency has issued an espionage alert warning members of Parliament that Chinese agents are trying to collect information and influence activity. MI5 says China has been attempting to recruit parliamentarians through operatives posing as headhunters. The warning comes after Chinese spies were accused of creating fake job adverts to try to lure people into handing over information. Security Minister Dan Jarvis says the government will not tolerate attempts to interfere with the UK's sovereign affairs. Charlie Angela is following developments from London. The intelligence agency MI5 has sent out an alert identifying two LinkedIn accounts that have been contacting MPs. They say that these are false identities controlled by Chinese state security. Apparently these accounts have been posing as headhunters offering freelance work and consultancy roles with the aim to eventually extract high-level government information about politics and national security. The message is that espionage has changed. It is no longer the exchange of a brown manila envelope on a park bench, but it can start with an online invitation to speak at a conference, but then develop with threats and blackmail. Earlier, the Minister for State Security spoke to Parliament announcing a new raft of anti-espionage measures. Any activity that threatens UK national security, particularly in relation to the UK's parliament and democracy, will not be tolerated. And today, I'm setting out a comprehensive package of measures we are taking to disrupt and deter the threats posed by China, as well as by wider state actors. All of this is happening within the context of the collapsed spy trial involving two British men. And it's reignited the debate about how the UK should classify China in terms of its national security threat. Many ministers believe that the government has been too soft. The message is that the UK will continue to engage with China where it serves its national interests, but if it challenges its democracy or threatens its national security, it will be dealt with. Charly-Angela Al-Jazeera, Westminster.

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