Red Alert! MI5 Warns of Chinese Espionage in Westminster | Spies Pose as Recruiters | UK Parliament - video Dailymotion

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MI5 has issued a serious warning to MPs and peers: Chinese intelligence operatives may be attempting to infiltrate Westminster by posing as professional headhunters.  According to the alert, the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is “actively reaching out” to individuals in Parliament, using LinkedIn and recruitment agencies to build long-term influence. Two recruiters—Amanda Qiu (BR-YR Executive Search) and Shirly Shen (Internship Union)—have been specifically named.  This warning comes after a collapsed prosecution involving two men accused of spying for China and highlights ongoing concerns about foreign interference in UK politics.  #MI5 #EspionageAlert #ChinaSpies #Westminster #UKPolitics #NationalSecurity #Parliament #Intelligence #ChineseEspionage #BreakingNews

Transcript

00:00Music

00:10Westminster is facing a fresh security warning.

00:13MI5 has alerted MPs and peers that Chinese intelligence operatives

00:17may be trying to infiltrate Parliament, posing as professional headhunters.

00:22According to The Independent, the Security Service has issued

00:25what it calls a new espionage alert,

00:28warning of a significant risk of interference from the Chinese state.

00:32In a letter to MPs and members of the House of Lords,

00:35Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said

00:38Chinese state actors are relentless in their efforts to influence parliamentary activity.

00:43He warned that China's Ministry of State Security, known as the MSS,

00:48is actively reaching out to individuals,

00:50often through professional networking sites and recruitment agents.

00:54I am writing to you now to draw your attention

00:56to the attached espionage alert issued by the Security Service, MI5, to the parliamentary community.

01:03This alert highlights how the Chinese Ministry of State Security, MSS,

01:07is actively reaching out to individuals in our community.

01:10Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships,

01:15using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.

01:21The alert named two individuals, Amanda Q, linked to BRYR Executive Search,

01:28and Shirley Shen, associated with Internship Union.

01:32Both are said to be using LinkedIn to contact people across Westminster on behalf of the MSS.

01:38The Sun reported that MI5 considers the activity widespread and targeted,

01:43and has issued what it describes red alert.

01:46Security Minister Dan Jarvis in his parliament address said,

01:49Our intelligence agencies have warned that China is attempting to recruit and cultivate individuals

01:56with access to sensitive information about parliament and the UK government.

02:01MI5 have stated that this activity is being carried out by a group of Chinese intelligence officers,

02:09often masked through the use of cover companies or external headhunters.

02:16Let me speak plainly.

02:18This activity involves a covert and calculated attempt by a foreign power

02:25to interfere with our sovereign affairs in favour of its own interests.

02:30And this government will not tolerate it.

02:33And today, I am setting out a comprehensive package of measures we are taking

02:38to disrupt and deter the threats posed by China as well as by wider state actors.

02:46Supported by ministers from across government and coordinated by myself,

02:51we are launching a counter-political interference and espionage action plan.

02:57Jarvis further added that the UK government is committing funds

03:01to renew sovereign encrypted technology used by officials

03:04to safeguard sensitive areas against espionage from hostile state actors.

03:09I can announce that the government has committed to investing $170 million

03:13to renew the sovereign encrypted technology our officials use to do their vital work.

03:20This program of work will help to ensure sensitive diplomatic, economic, trade, security,

03:27law enforcement and policy development arrangements are safeguarded from espionage

03:33by any state threat actor.

03:36I can also announce that this government has completed the removal of surveillance equipment

03:43manufactured by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of the People's Republic of China

03:50from all sensitive sites we maintain in the UK and around the world.

03:56There is value for the UK in engagement with China on education.

04:00However, operating in today's uncertain international context presents many challenges for our great universities.

04:08It is because of their excellence that states like China are attempting to influence their independent research

04:16and interfere with activity on campus.

04:19Ministers have already raised our concerns about this activity with their counterparts in Beijing

04:26and the Office for Students has recently issued new guidance to help universities protect the freedoms their staff and students enjoy.

04:35But as part of our ongoing commitment to work collectively to address these risks,

04:41I can announce that Ministers will host a closed event with Vice Chancellors to discuss the risks posed by foreign interference

04:50and signpost to our plans to further increase the sector's resilience.

04:55Jarvis went on to add that the UK Government will go further to disrupt dangerous Chinese offensive.

05:01Mr. Speaker, in October I told the House that this government remains steadfast in our commitment to disrupting

05:08and holding state actors accountable for wide-scale cyber espionage operations.

05:15And we stand ready to go further, to disrupt, degrade and protect against the dangerous and unrestrained

05:24offensive cyber ecosystem that China has allowed to take hold.

05:29This latest alert comes shortly after the collapse of a high-profile prosecution involving two men accused of spying for China.

05:37Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry were charged under the Official Secrets Act.

05:42But the Crown Prosecution Service said it couldn't proceed because the Deputy National Security Advisor

05:48refused to classify China as an active threat.

05:51That decision has triggered political tension.

05:54According to Sky News,

05:56Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sought to maintain workable economic ties with Beijing,

06:01while blaming previous conservative administrations for difficulties prosecutors faced under century-old legislation.

06:09For now, MI5 is urging everyone in Westminster to be vigilant,

06:13especially when approached online by unfamiliar recruiters.

06:17the

06:33the

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Red Alert! MI5 Warns of Chinese Espionage in Westminster | Spies Pose as Recruiters | UK Parliament

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