The Chinese Ministry of State Security has made a public statement accusing the British Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6, of turning two Chinese state employees into spies for the British government. The statement, published here, alleges that the employees—a married couple—were engaged in espionage activities on behalf of the UK.
Details indicate that one of the suspects, Mr. Wang, applied to study in the UK in 2015 through an exchange program. According to the statement, his application was allegedly flagged by MI6 due to the confidential nature of his work within the Chinese government. Upon his arrival in the UK, Wang was approached by MI6 personnel who recruited him as a consultant, subsequently providing him with professional training before sending him back to China for intelligence-gathering activities.
The public statement further alleges that Wang was tasked with recruiting his wife, Ms. Zhou, who also held a significant position within a core state organ. Zhou eventually agreed and started working for MI6, the statement says.
The Ministry noted that the investigation is ongoing and did not disclose whether the couple would face charges. Under Article 110 of the Chinese Criminal Law, individuals convicted of espionage could be subject to life imprisonment.
This case comes on the heels of several espionage-related incidents involving UK and Chinese nationals, heightening tensions between the two countries. Recently, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed that three individuals had been charged with offenses under the National Security Act for alleged illegal activities in Hong Kong in May. Just before that, a parliamentary researcher and another man were charged with spying for China in the UK, and earlier in March, two other individuals were accused of espionage on behalf of China.
The timing of this disclosure has led some analysts to suggest it might be retaliatory, considering the tense state of Anglo-Chinese relations. The Chinese Ministry of State Security had previously published information about MI6’s alleged espionage activities in January 2021, as seen here.
MI6, founded in 1909, aims to protect the UK’s people, economy, and interests from overseas threats, as detailed on their official site. The BBC has contacted UK authorities for a response to the latest allegations, but no official reply has been received yet.