China Claims to Have Exposed Alleged MI6 Spy
China has claimed that it has uncovered a foreign spy who allegedly worked for the British overseas intelligence agency, MI6. The individual has been arrested by China’s Ministry of State Security. According to a statement by the ministry, a foreign national surnamed Huang has made multiple trips to China to gather information.
The statement further mentioned that the individual had received training from the British intelligence agency for his espionage activities. He reportedly ran a consulting firm abroad and was recruited by MI6 in 2015. The nationality of the alleged spy is unclear but he is not a Chinese citizen. No further details were provided.
Mutual Spy Allegations
China and the UK have long accused each other of engaging in mutual espionage activities. Other countries also believe that China carries out extensive surveillance abroad. For example, Germany’s federal domestic intelligence agency has warned about Chinese espionage attempts in Germany.
Within China itself, the authorities have become increasingly stringent in recent years in their crackdown on perceived threats to national security. Alleged spies have been exposed on multiple occasions. Last year, the authorities conducted a large-scale operation against foreign consulting firms. The public is constantly warned about foreign spies through awareness campaigns.
China’s Tough Approach
In August, the communist government implemented a strict and broad Anti-Spying Law, which grants authorities additional powers to target companies or individuals working with China-specific information or data. Actions that go against “national interests” of China, rather than solely targeting the nation’s security, are now considered punishable under the law.