Chinese representatives present on British soil pose a threat to the country, according to MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum.
In a speech, the head of the UK’s domestic intelligence service explained that his agency had been forced to intervene last week to disrupt suspicious Chinese activity.
McCallum also referred to a recent espionage case linked to China and expressed his “frustration” that the justice system has failed to take action against such illicit activities.
Last month, the government and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dismissed the case, stating that there was insufficient evidence to prove it amounted to espionage on behalf of China.
However, statements from Matthew Collins, the UK’s Deputy National Security Adviser, make it clear that China is conducting “large-scale” espionage operations and represents “the biggest state-based threat to the country’s economic security.“
“When it comes to China, the UK needs to defend itself resolutely against threats and seize the opportunities that demonstrably serve our nation,” McCallum said.
