Anxiety in Europe
Anxiety has mounted across Europe about China’s alleged espionage activity, with concerns escalating in recent months.
Recent Developments in Britain
British police have charged two men with spying for China, with one of them reported to have worked as a researcher in Britain’s parliament for a prominent lawmaker from the governing Conservative Party.
The two men, aged 32 and 29, were charged with providing prejudicial information to China in breach of the Official Secrets Act and are set to appear in court on Friday.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Counter Terrorism Command at the Metropolitan Police, described the investigation as “extremely complex” due to the seriousness of the allegations.
China’s Response
China’s embassy in London has not yet responded to the charges brought against the two men.
Details of the Case
One of the men, identified as Christopher Cash, was arrested for spying while working as a researcher in parliament for Conservative lawmaker Alicia Kearns, as reported by the Sunday Times.
In September, a lawyer for the arrested man denied the spying accusations without confirming the client’s identity.
Last month, the British government summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in London over allegations of state-backed hacking and surveillance operations against British institutions.
International Concerns
Germany also reported arrests of three individuals suspected of collaborating with the Chinese secret service to transfer military-related technology.
