BEIJING: China’s spy agency has said that the head of a foreign consultancy had been found to be spying for Britain’s MI6 intelligence service.

The Ministry of State Security said in a WeChat post on Monday that Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, used a foreign national with the surname Huang to establish an “intelligence cooperation relationship”.

Huang, who headed a foreign consulting agency, “entered China several times under instructions to use their public profile as a cover to collect China-related intelligence for Britain… and seek other personnel whom MI6 could turn”, the ministry said. He allegedly passed 17 pieces of intelligence, including confidential state secrets, to MI6 before he was identified, it added.

According to the ministry, he had received “professional intelligence trai­ning” in Britain and had used “specialist spying equipment” to send communications.

Beijing says Huang received ‘training’ in Britain, passed on ‘17 state secrets’ to MI6

The ministry said an investigation had “prom­ptly discovered criminal evidence that Huang was engaged in espionage activities, and took criminal coercive measures in accordance with the law”.

The statement did not provide further details of Huang’s identity or employer, or describe their current condition or whereabouts.

China’s foreign ministry also declined to provide further comment when asked about the case at a regular press briefing. Britain’s embassy in Beijing directed an AFP request to comment to the Foreign Office in London.

Trading barbs

China and Britain have traded barbs in recent months over allegations of perceived espionage and its resulting impact on national security.

Britain’s government has warned that Chinese spies are increasingly targeting officials, allegations that Beijing has denied.

China, which has a broad definition of state secrets, has publicised several other alleged spying cases in recent months.

In May, authorities sentenced John Shing-wan Leung, 78, an American citizen, to life in prison for espionage.

However, later in October, the ministry published the story of another alleged spy, surnamed Hou, who was accused of sending several secret and classified documents to the US.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2024