China’s security agencies accuse Britain’s MI6 of using foreigner to spy on country

China’s security agencies have claimed a spy has been collecting secrets and information in the country on behalf of Britain’s MI6.

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) alleged on its WeChat social media account on Monday that Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service established an “intelligence cooperative relationship” with a foreigner, only identified by the surname Huang, in 2015.

After that, M16 instructed Huang, who was in charge of an overseas consulting agency, to enter China several times, telling him to use his public identity as a cover to collect China-related intelligence for British spying, the statement said.

MSS claimed Huang passed 17 pieces of intelligence, including confidential state secrets, to MI6 before his identity was uncovered, reported The Times.

MI6 also conducted professional intelligence training for Huang in Britain and other places, as well as providing special espionage equipment for intelligence cross-linking, China’s government said.

"After careful investigation, the state security organs promptly discovered evidence of Huang's involvement in espionage activities, and took criminal coercive measures against him," the government said.

The consulting agency was not disclosed by the Chinese government. The British Foreign Office declined to comment, in line with its longstanding policy to neither confirm nor deny claims relating to intelligence matters.

The case by China highlights the ongoing heated exchanges the countries have traded over accusations of perceived spying that threatens their respective national securities.

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The British government has said Chinese spies are targeting its officials in sensitive positions in politics, defence and business as part of an increasingly sophisticated operation to gain access to secrets.

Recently, a researcher in Britain's parliament denied he was a Chinese spy.

China repeatedly condemned the assertions with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying they were "entirely groundless."

"We urge the UK to stop spreading disinformation and stop political manipulation and malicious slander against China," said foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning when queried at a press briefing.

China has been cracking down on perceived threats to its national security, revealing several cases of spying that it uncovered in recent years.

The government has been warning its citizens in the country and abroad of the dangers of getting caught up in espionage activities. It has been encouraging people to join counter-espionage work that includes creating channels to report suspicious activity.

China has also unleashed a sweeping crackdown on foreign consultancy and due diligence firms over threats of revealing state secrets that have unnerved foreign companies operating in the country.