In the United Kingdom, an official Secrets Act researcher has been arrested under suspicion of espionage for China. Two men were arrested under this law in March, with one of them found in a shed and the other in a house in the age of 30s.
Multiple sources have informed the BBC that one of the arrested individuals is a researcher specializing in international affairs at the UK Parliament. He had contacts with several MPs from the Conservative Party, who were considered sympathetic to China.
The Sunday Times first reported this matter. According to the report, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed deep concern about Chinese espionage during his meeting with India at the G-20 summit. He conveyed his deep concern about Chinese interference in the parliamentary democracy of the UK.
China’s President Xi Jinping did not attend the G-20 summit, and instead, China’s Premier Li Keqiang represented the country at the event.
The UK’s Home Secretary, Priti Patel, and the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, were also reported to have had contact with this researcher.
Several government sources have refrained from making any comments on the matter.
The Metropolitan Police has stated that the individual arrested in his 30s in South London was apprehended from an Oxfordshire shed. The other individual arrested was taken into custody from Edinburgh. Both were released on bail later.
The Counter Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police is currently investigating this incident.
