London accuses, Beijing defends itself. The Chinese government said on Monday it “strongly rejects” accusations of espionage in the UK, after the arrest in Edinburgh of a man suspected of collecting intelligence for Beijing. On Sunday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed concern about possible “interference” from China.
“We urge the British side to stop spreading false information and end its anti-China political maneuvering and malicious smear,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. Police in the United Kingdom announced on Saturday that they had arrested a man in his twenties at his home in Edinburgh for espionage. According to Sunday Timeshe is a researcher who had contact with members of the ruling Conservative party while working in Parliament.
A case that falls badly as London and Beijing renew the dialogue
Metropolitan Police officers arrested him and another man in his 30s in March on suspicion of breaches of the Official Secrets Act. Both were released pending a new stage of the procedure in early October, London police said without further details.
The update of this case comes as London has recently shown a desire for dialogue with Beijing, after years of difficult relations. According to the official Xinhua news agency, the Chinese premier said that China and the United Kingdom should properly manage their disagreements as well as respect each other’s fundamental interests and major concerns.