MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum has stated that China poses a daily threat to the UK's national security, citing recent espionage activities. This statement comes amid controversy over the collapse of a high-profile spying case involving two men accused of providing information to China.
“Do Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat? The answer is of course yes they do, every day,” MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum told reporters during a rare public appearance, according to an AP report. He also stated that his agency had intervened to stop a threat that originated from China as recently as this past week.
In his annual speech outlining major threats to the UK, McCallum said that the UK faces “multiple overlapping threats on an unprecedented scale” from both terror groups and states. He mentioned China is one of the “big three” state threats, along with the even more reckless Russia and Iran.
He also warned that Chinese state actors present a daily national security threat to the UK. He highlighted recent incidents, including cyber espionage and covert interference in public life, as evidence of China's persistent efforts to undermine UK security.
Why China is in the crosshairs?
The warning comes amid controversy over the collapse of a high-profile spying case involving two men, Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash, who were accused of providing information to China. The prosecution was dropped due to insufficient legal support, particularly the failure of a deputy national security adviser to testify that China was a national security threat at the time of the alleged offenses.
McCallum also noted a 35% increase in state-based threat investigations over the past year, with China, Russia, and Iran identified as the primary sources of these threats. He emphasized the need for continued vigilance and robust countermeasures to protect the UK's national security.
