China has accused Britain of ‘espionage,’ alleging that the UK recruited a married couple working for the Chinese government to spy for MI6, CNN reported. China’s civilian spy agency, the Ministry of State Security (MSS), announced it had cracked a “major espionage case” involving MI6, revealing two spies “planted by the British side within our ranks.”
This claim follows recent charges by British police against three individuals accused of spying for Hong Kong’s intelligence service and earlier charges in April against two others accused of spying for China, including a former researcher for a Conservative Party legislator, according to CNN. Additionally, in January, China’s MSS announced it had imprisoned the leader of a foreign consultant alleged to have spied for MI6.
Under Xi Jinping, the MSS has significantly increased its public presence and scope, transforming from a secretive organization into a prominent force in public affairs. Over the past six months, the MSS has made regular public statements about dismantling foreign eavesdropping programs, which, though unverifiable, positively portray the agency and remind Chinese civilians to remain vigilant.
In its latest statement released on Monday, the MSS detailed its allegations against the married couple. It claimed that an alleged spy, identified only by his surname Wang, worked in an important state institution with “access to core confidential information.” According to the MSS, MI6 valued Wang’s access and “swiftly approved” his application to study in the UK under an exchange program in 2015. While Wang was studying in Britain, MI6 allegedly invited him to lunches and trips to discover his “character weaknesses and personal interests.”
The Chinese agency claimed that after learning Wang had “a strong desire for money,” the British espionage agency used an alumnus to lure him into a part-time consultancy job with significant pay. The MSS further alleged that MI6 personnel then approached Wang to work for the British government, promising higher monetary rewards and security guarantees, which he accepted. He received espionage training before returning to China to gather intelligence.
MI6 reportedly pressured Wang to persuade his wife, who worked for a “core” government agency, to join the espionage efforts, promising to quadruple the pay, the MSS claimed. The case remains under investigation.
