China’s Ministry of State Security Sunday issued a message on its WeChat official account, a Chinese instant messaging app, claiming that it had detained the head of an overseas consultancy for spying for the British Secret Intelligence Service, also known as MI6, to collect Chinese secrets and information.
The accused, identified as Huang Moumou of a “third nationality,” established an “intelligence cooperation relationship” with MI6 in 2015. After that, the British agency instructed Huang to enter China to collect China-related intelligence and identify personnel to incite rebellion by using his public identity, which would act as a cover. The statement added that the accused was provided professional intelligence training in Britain and other places and given the required equipment. Following a meticulous investigation, the Chinese security agency discovered criminal evidence against Huang and undertook criminal coercive measures against him as provided in the law. After verification by the confidentiality department, it was revealed that Huang provided 17 pieces of confidential state secrets and intelligence to the British spying agency.
The Ministry did not delve into the revealed secrets or disclose the accused’s nationality. It said consular visits were arranged for the accused to protect his rights. During the regular press conference of China’s Foreign Ministry on January 8, the spokesperson, Mao Ning, did not disclose any more information about the case and asked to “refer to the information concerning the case released on the WeChat account of China’s Ministry of State Security.”
China and Britain, in recent times, have engaged in sparring over allegations of espionage and subsequent national security concerns. In September 2023, a researcher at the UK parliament was arrested by China and accused of espionage under the Official Secrets Act. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raised “very strong concerns” about China’s alleged interference in the UK parliament. In recent months, China has publicized several other cases of alleged spying. China, in May 2023, sentenced a 78-year-old citizen to life imprisonment over espionage charges; no further details were provided about the case. Last year, China raided and arrested employees at prominent US consulting firms, including Merck Group and Bain & Company.
China revised its counter-espionage law in 2023 and broadened its ambit by adding a catch-all provision that enhanced the investigating authority of the administration, threatening foreign companies that might become its targets.
