Sunak raises ‘significant concerns’ with Chinese premier after ‘spy arrest’
R
ishi Sunak has instructed Chinese premier Li Qiang he has “significant concerns about Chinese interference in the UK’s parliamentary democracy” at a G20 assembly.
The assembly comes simply hours after it emerged a British parliamentary researcher accused of spying for China had been arrested, together with one other man in Oxfordshire.
Downing Street confirmed the Prime Minister met his Chinese counterpart on the margins of the G20 summit in India for an off-the-cuff dialogue on Sunday.
A House of Commons researcher was arrested under the Official Secrets Act on suspicion of spying for China.
The man, who’s in his 20s, was arrested in Edinburgh by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.
The Sunday Times reported the British nationwide holds a parliamentary go, has hyperlinks to a number of distinguished Conservative MPs, together with safety minister Tom Tugendhat and overseas affairs committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns, and beforehand lived and labored in China.
Ms Kearns mentioned she was “aware” of the report however would “not be commenting”.
Mr Tugendhat is claimed to not have had any contact with the researcher since earlier than he grew to become safety minister in September final 12 months.
Met officers additionally arrested one other man, in his 30s, at a property in Oxfordshire whereas searches had been carried out at a property in east London.
The arrests befell on March 13.
A report from Parliament’s spy company watchdog, the Intelligence and Security Committee, warned in July that Beijing is concentrating on the UK “prolifically and aggressively”.
Mr Sunak has confronted criticism from some senior Torys of in search of a relationship with a China they see as more and more a menace.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Beijing amid the criticism, insisting the UK would have a “pragmatic” relationship with China to sort out main international points equivalent to local weather change.
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk instructed Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “The Prime Minister has been very clear when it comes to China it is an epoch-defining threat, challenge, forgive me, so of course we have got to take it extremely seriously.
“I know that the police and no doubt other agencies will take it as seriously as well, and let’s learn whatever lessons need to be learned.”
Asked whether or not the parliamentary go system wanted to be made safer, he mentioned: “There is a rigorous approach that is taken in terms of being provided with passes, but plainly this has got to play through in terms of this investigation, and whatever lessons need to be learned by the parliamentary authorities I am sure will be learned.”