ugc_banner

UK expelled 3 Chinese spies posing as journalists

WION Web Team
London, United KingdomUpdated: Feb 06, 2021, 05:17 PM IST
main img
Photograph:(Reuters)

Story highlights

This has also raised concerns about the security within the country and the opposition has also called against the naive attitude of the UK government against China

The UK has silently taken a step and expelled three Chinese spies who were working undercover as journalists. This declaration has come at a time when the tensions between the two countries have been growing over various issues.

The intelligence agency, MI5, had found out that the three spies had been originally working for China's Ministry of State Security (MSS). However, the three had been posing as journalists of the UK and using the country's press agencies as a cover.

Using journalism as a cover for spying has been an old form of espionage and has been a favourable method for the Chinese spies, especially the ones aiming for political and economic intelligence, especially from the first-world and powerful countries.

This has also raised concerns about the security within the country and the opposition has also called against the naive attitude of the UK government against China.

"We do need a more consistent view of China – and Russia – and understand more clearly how authoritarian and one-party states operate in the digital age," said Bob Seely, a Conservative MP.

Meanwhile, China has not openly commented on the issue yet. A foreign ministry spokesperson said that Beijing "reserves the right to make the necessary responses".

These Chinese foreign ministry has also alleged the BBC of publishing a "false report" as the UK media house aired an investigation that detailed and alleged China of treating the Uighur women in Chinese camps in an inhumane manner and subjecting them to systematic rape.