London | Britain expelled three Chinese spies who had lived in the country for months posing as journalists, the British daily “Daily Telegraph” revealed, citing a government source.
Claiming “to be journalists for different Chinese news agencies,” they actually worked for the Chinese State Security Ministry, and had arrived during the last year, said the same source.
“Their real identity was discovered by MI5 (British internal security services, editor’s note) and they were sent back to China,” she added without giving further details.
Relations between China and the United Kingdom are currently particularly tense due in particular to the Chinese repression in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, the subject of fierce criticism from London.
Britain has also decided not to allow Chinese Huawei to be part of the 5G network operators in its territory, citing internal security concerns.
On Thursday, China’s public English-language news channel CGTN’s UK license was withdrawn as London deemed it subject to the Chinese Communist Party.
In the United States, this same channel is one of the seven Chinese media that are now referred to as Chinese state channels and not independent media.