China detained British MI6 spy of passing intelligence, identifying potential assets
Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
WASHINGTON DC, 10th Jan. According to official sources quoted in news media reports on Tuesday China has detained a foreign national who was the head of an overseas consulting firm for allegedly spying on behalf of the British Government.
China’s civilian spy agency, the Ministry of State Security said in a statement issued that it had apprehended an individual surnamed Huang working with Britain’s MI6 while leading a foreign consultancy.
The agency did not mention Huang’s full name, gender or nationality, nor identified the company he worked for.
MSS said in its statement that Huang started working with MI6 in 2015 on intelligence matters, with the British agency directing Huang to travel to China multiple times to collect intelligence and identify potential assets for it.
MI6 provided Huang with training as well as professional spying equipment for the exchange of intelligence and communications, the MSS added.
It alleged that Huang ended up providing Britain with 17 pieces of intelligence, including several “national secrets.”
It said that the during the MSS investigation, Huang was given access to consular visits from their home country in accordance with the law.
British Embassy in Beijing didn’t comment on Huang case rather directed media to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for comment on the case.
FCDO did not immediately respond to their request quoted by the news media.
China has been cracking down on international consulting firms, for some months, according to the news reports.
In May last year, the state security authorities said that they had raided several offices of Capvision, an advisory network with headquarters in Shanghai and New York.
Chinese officials closed the Beijing office of Mintz Group, a US corporate due diligence firm, and questioned employees at the local branch of top consultancy Bain.
The measures were part of wider efforts by Beijing to increase oversight of what it says is sensitive information pertaining to national security, according to local media reports.
Capvision said in October that it had successfully completed a national security inspection overseen by the Chinese government and come up with new compliance measures to address concerns.
MSS oversees intelligence and counterintelligence both within China and overseas, is typically known for keeping a low profile.
It has expanded communications with the public, also launched an account on WeChat, the ubiquitous social networking platform in China, news media reported.
The agency has used the platform to call on “all members of society” to join its fight against foreign spies, particularly after the passage of a counter-espionage law that took effect in last July.
It added that the law has spooked businesses that are worried about whether the expanded scope could lead to higher legal risks.
