The UK Foreign Office has summoned the Chinese ambassador over allegations of spying. These steps were taken Tuesday, following accusations relating to activity in Hong Kong, where China operates as a special administrative region. Three individuals have been charged with offences under the National Security Act as part of an investigation led by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism branch, according to a statement from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
In an official statement, the Foreign Office was clear in pointing out what it perceives as an unacceptable pattern of behavior by China including cyberattacks, reports of espionage links, and the issuing of bounties.
In retaliation, the Chinese embassy released a press statement, rebuking what it terms as the “UK’s wrongful behavior,” including unwarranted accusations against the Hong Kong government. Countering allegations of espionage, the Embassy accused the UK of a smear campaign, and labelled the accusations as “groundless and slanderous.”
These charges come at a tense time for Anglo-China relations, with a recent cybersecurity incident involving the UK Armed Forces payment network, where Chinese state involvement was suspected. Earlier in the year, another two individuals were charged with espionage on behalf of China.
Moving beyond the Chinese government, the UK has also used the National Security Act to respond to Russian espionage. In a recent development, the UK Home Secretary announced expulsion of a Russian diplomat, following accusations of Russian intelligence gathering operations in the UK.
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