A British parliamentary researcher has been arrested on suspicions of espionage in favor of China, igniting a scandal at a time when the United Kingdom was seeking to mend its ties with Beijing after enduring years of tensions.
At least one of the individuals involved was identified as a parliamentary researcher, as disclosed by a source well-versed in the matter. The U.K.’s Times newspaper, which extensively covered the arrests over the weekend, indicated that the individual was affiliated with a prominent parliamentary policy institute focused on China, co-founded by the current Minister of Security. In a statement issued by his legal representative on Monday, the individual denied allegations of espionage and proclaimed his innocence.
This arrest marks yet another setback in the relations between the United Kingdom and China, which have been entrenched in a prolonged period of tension. The U.K. government has consistently accused China of human rights violations and has strongly criticized Beijing’s measures to suppress freedoms in the former British colony of Hong Kong.
