Executive Summary
- MI5 has issued an official espionage alert to the UK Parliament regarding intelligence activities conducted by the Chinese state.
- The alert warns that China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) is using recruitment agents on professional networks like LinkedIn to target officials.
- Two individuals, Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen, were named as alleged fronts working on behalf of the MSS to collect information.
- The warning follows the recent collapse of a separate high-profile espionage case involving two men accused of passing information to China.
MI5, the United Kingdom’s domestic security service, has issued an espionage alert to Parliament warning that China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) is actively using recruitment agents on professional networking sites to target individuals within the parliamentary community. The alert, circulated on Tuesday by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, aims to raise awareness of efforts to collect information and establish long-term relationships for espionage purposes.
Named Individuals and Methods
The security notice specifically named two recruitment “headhunters,” Amanda Qiu of BR-YR Executive Search and Shirly Shen of the Internship Union, who are allegedly using LinkedIn profiles to “conduct outreach at scale” on behalf of the MSS. According to the alert, while the two women are not believed to be Chinese intelligence officers themselves, they are acting as fronts to gather and relay information to Beijing. Sir Lindsay Hoyle urged colleagues to be vigilant, noting the activity is “targeted and widespread” and that MPs, aides, and staff in devolved governments are all potential targets.
Context of Collapsed Spy Case
This warning comes in the wake of a high-profile espionage case involving two men, Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, which collapsed in September. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the charges, which both men denied, after a key government witness reportedly declined to describe China as a threat to UK national security, a requirement for prosecution under the Official Secrets Act. The collapse of the case reportedly caused frustration within the intelligence community.
Government Response
In response to the ongoing threat, Security Minister Dan Jarvis announced that the government is implementing a “comprehensive package of measures” to deter state threats from China and other actors. These plans include potential new powers to disrupt proxy organizations and increased penalties for election interference. It is important to note that in the separate and now-concluded case, the individuals who were charged are presumed innocent as the legal proceedings against them were discontinued.