Sunak hits out at Chinese interference after parliament ‘spy’ arrested
Rishi Sunak has warned the Chinese premier of his “significant concerns” about Beijing’s interference in democracy after the arrest of a parliamentary researcher on suspicion of spying.
The Prime Minister met Li Qiang at the G20 summit in New Delhi on Sunday, hours after news of two arrests in the UK under the Official Secrets Act emerged.
One is a researcher who has had links to several senior Tory MPs, including security minister Tom Tugendhat and foreign affairs committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns.
The Briton was arrested along with another man by officers on March 13 on suspicion of spying for Beijing, it was revealed by the Sunday Times.
Mr Sunak, who has faced criticism from some senior Conservatives of seeking a relationship with a China they see as increasingly a threat, met Mr Li on the margins of the international summit on Sunday morning.
A No 10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister met Premier Li Qiang and conveyed his significant concerns about Chinese interference in the UK’s parliamentary democracy.”
Mr Sunak said his confrontation with Mr Li over the “obviously unacceptable” allegations is an example of the benefits of engagement rather than “shouting from the sidelines”.
Speaking to broadcasters at the summit venue in India, the Prime Minister said: “Well, I obviously can’t comment on the specifics of an ongoing investigation but, with regard to my meeting with Premier Li, what I said very specifically is that I raised a range of different concerns that we have in areas of disagreement, and in particular my very strong concerns about any interference in our parliamentary democracy, which is obviously unacceptable.
“And, actually, I think the right thing to do is take the opportunity to engage to raise concerns specifically, rather than just shouting from the sidelines.”
PA