Chinese spy risk? Britain's security service issues espionage alert, warns lawmakers — ‘Aim is to collect information’

UK's MI5 security service on Tuesday issued an espionage alert, warning members of parliament about attempts by Chinese agents to collect information.

Lindsay Hoyle, the House of Commons Speaker, wrote to people working in Parliament to raise the alarm, saying he wanted to draw their attention to the Espionage Alert issued by the Security Service, MI5, to the parliamentary community.

“The Chinese Ministry of State Security is actively reaching out to individuals in our community,” reported The Telegraph, citing Hoyle.

Hoyle further added, "Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.”

The development comes weeks after prosecutors dropped charges against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry — the two British men charged with spying on members of parliament for China.

Cash and Berry were accused of passing information about the government to a top member of Chinese government. However, both denied any wrongdoing, and Beijing called the claims false and 'malicious'.

Meanwhile, according to The Telegraph report, stickers banning military staff from discussing secrets have been fitted inside the Ministry of Defence’s fleet of electric cars.

“MoD devices are NOT to be connected to [this] vehicle," said a message on the sticker.

Another message reads, “Avoid conversations above OFFICIAL within the vehicle.”

Speaking to China's Global Times, Zuo Xiaodong, China Information Security Research Institute, said that without providing any proof, the accusations are extremely irresponsible.

“Jumping to fear-mongering conclusions is utterly irresponsible,” added Zuo.

He also termed the development as deep-seated anti-China mindset within some Western organizations.

Zuo said that such unfounded claims are examples of irresponsible and groundless fear-mongering by some Western elements regarding the safety of Chinese technology products, including China's competitive EVs.

In another development, Taiwanese prosecutors charged seven people, including a Chinese national, with violating national security after they allegedly collected military secrets for China.

The Chinese national surnamed Ding used business or tourism as pretexts to visit Taiwan multiple times, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office said in a statement, reported AFP.