Britain’s domestic intelligence service has issued a stark new warning to members of Parliament, alerting them that Chinese operatives are
Britain’s domestic intelligence service has issued a stark new warning to members of Parliament, alerting them that Chinese operatives are actively attempting to “recruit and cultivate” political figures through professional networking platforms and seemingly legitimate intermediaries.
According to The Associated Press, House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle informed lawmakers on Tuesday that MI5 had circulated a fresh “espionage alert,” detailing how individuals linked to China’s Ministry of State Security were “using LinkedIn profiles to conduct outreach at scale.”
According to Hoyle, the goal of the outreach campaigns is simple and strategic: “collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships.” He said Chinese actors are using headhunters, consultants, and front companies to mask their intentions while seeking access to British political circles.
MI5 issued the alert because the activity has become “targeted and widespread,” Hoyle added.
The warning specifically named two women — Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen — whose profiles were flagged as examples of recruiters acting as fronts for Chinese intelligence.
