Rishi Sunak lambasts China after allegations of spy in UK Parliament
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Sunday that he had raised "very strong concerns" with Chinese Premier Li Qiang about allegations of a spy within the U.K.'s Parliament.
During a press conference following the pair's meeting at the G20 conference in New Delhi, Sunak said that he warned Li "about any interference in our parliamentary democracy, which is obviously unacceptable." Sunak added that the pair "discussed a range of things and I raised areas where there are disagreements. This is just part of our strategy to protect ourselves, protect our values and our interests, to align our approach to China with that of our allies like America, Australia, Canada, Japan and others."
Sunak's comments came hours after a report in The Sunday Times revealed that a British parliamentary researcher was arrested earlier this year for allegedly spying on Parliament for China, along with another man who was arrested in connection. The prime suspect was "understood to be linked to a number of senior Tory [politicians], including several who are privy to classified or highly sensitive information," according to the Times. This reportedly included U.K. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat. The alleged spy represented "a major escalation by China. We have never seen anything like this before," one parliamentary source told the Times.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The meeting between Sunak and Li was not originally scheduled, but occurred early Sunday morning after news of the alleged spy's arrest broke, The Guardian reported. The allegations were reportedly the first topic that Sunak and Li discussed; Li said that the two countries had "differences in opinion." A report in Chinese media also said that Li told Sunak that the U.K. and China "should properly handle disagreements, respect each other's core interests and major concerns."
Chinese officials have not directly addressed the spying allegations.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Today's political cartoons - October 19, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - fact-checking, the vibe economy, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 bopping cartoons about dancin' Donald
Cartoons Artists take on Trump's favourite tunes, presidential playlists, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Salem's Lot: Stephen King adaptation is 'half-baked' thriller
Talking Point The latest adaptation of this 1975 novel has left many critics feeling underwhelmed
By The Week UK Published
-
Trump gets profane at Catholic charity dinner
Speed Read The Republican nominee mocked Kamala Harris, her husband, her running mate, President Joe Biden and other Democrats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Florida ordered to allow pro-abortion rights ads
Speed Read A federal judge in Florida ordered the DeSantis administration to stop threatening TV stations for running an abortion rights referendum ad
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Pentagon grants ousted LGBTQ vets full benefits
Speed Read The new ruling will apply to more than 820 LGBTQ veterans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US says Israel must up Gaza aid or risk arms halt
Speed Read The Biden administration has provided a 30-day ultimatum to the country
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Georgia judge suspends new hand-count ballot rule
Speed Read The rule would have required three poll workers in every precinct to hand-count votes
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Man arrested as threats on FEMA hinder Helene relief
Speed Read The agency temporarily suspended door-to-door operations as a result of the threats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The CIA is openly recruiting foreign spies in other countries
In the Spotlight The agency is posting instructions in multiple languages for people to contact them
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published