CHINA WATCHBritish Intelligence Shines Light on Chinese Spy 'Hiding in Plain Sight'
Pressure is mounting on Britain’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, to explain why it did not alert lawmakers sooner about the activities of a suspected Chinese spy, who the security service now say was “knowingly engaged in political interference in the U.K.”
Britain’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, is coming under political pressure to explain why it did not alert lawmakers sooner about the activities of a suspected Chinese spy, who the security service now say was “knowingly engaged in political interference in the U.K.”
The British security agencies have been warning in recent months about China increasing espionage activity in the country, but alleged spy Christine Lee, a 59-year-old mother of two and legal adviser to the Chinese embassy, was allowed to work unhindered and even received an award in 2019 from 10 Downing Street.
According to a rare alert sent by MI5 Thursday to authorities at the House of Commons, Lee facilitated and channeled financial donations from China to political parties and parliamentarians and spent the best part of three decades establishing connections with politicians and high-flyers.
The MI5 alert said Lee is an agent for the United Front Work Department, a department that reports directly to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The alert says she has been using the financial donations to gain access to British politicians and to exert political influence. One of the biggest beneficiaries was senior Labour MP Barry Gardiner.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin denied the allegations on Friday.
“China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs,” he said during a press briefing in Beijing. “We have no need and will not engage in so-called interference activities. Certain people may have watched too many ‘007’ movies, resulting in too many unnecessary associations.”
The Chinese embassy in Britain said the accusations against Lee were part of a campaign of “smearing and intimidation against the Chinese community in the U.K.”
Between 2015 and 2020, Lee’s law firm, based in the English town of Birmingham, alone donated $900,000 to Gardiner for the running of his office. The Labour lawmaker employed one of Lee’s sons in his private office. Gardiner told a London broadcaster that Christine Lee would seek his view on “who was up and who was down in politics.”
