Public sentiment about the Chinese espionage threat in the UK is largely mixed, exhibiting skepticism about the significance of the threat and frustration over the government's handling of national security. While some commenters express genuine concern and call for accountability against espionage practices, many others view the threat as overstated, suspecting it might serve as a political distraction from more pressing issues. A significant undercurrent of cynicism exists regarding both the UK's relevance on the world stage and the hypocrisy of Western nations in their own espionage activities.

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When the security service issues an alert this specific, you know the threat is active and widespread. Major concern.

sudeepm457

Perhaps it’s time to stop these lions of democracy from being so easily lobbied, offered jobs in their spare time etc etc

Useful_Promotion_521

&gt; House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and his counterpart in the House of Lords, Lord McFall, have circulated a new "espionage alert" issued by the security services.
&gt; 
&gt; Writing to MPs, Sir Lindsay said Chinese state actors were "relentless" in trying to "interfere with our processes and influence activity at Parliament".
&gt;
&gt; He said the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) was "actively reaching out to individuals in our community", and that they wanted to "collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf".
&gt;
&gt; The alert from MI5 says "false personas" approach targets to "work as freelance consultants authoring geopolitical reports". It specifically identifies two LinkedIn profiles which it says are used on behalf of the MSS.
&gt;
&gt; The alert says they act as "civilian recruitment head-hunters", recruiting individuals working in British politics for the MSS, and solicit "non-public and insider insights".
&gt;
&gt; Other elements of espionage described in the MI5 alert include all-expenses paid trips to China, and payment for information through cash or cryptocurrency.
&gt; 
&gt; Targets are said to include "Parliament staff, economists, think tank employees, geo-political consultants and those working alongside [the government] including MPs and members of the House of Lords".

ConsciousStop

Was there a time they aren’t on high alert for espionage from a world power? I would think it’s a constant clear and present danger and the whole raison d’etre for MI5?

rswwalker

BB_Venum

Presumably the concern is that influencing our lawmakers is more America and Israel's job.

Chairmanmaozedon

Propaganda to help pay for the drone wall

More-Developments

Big-Cap558

Crazy_Cup163

Forgive my ignorance, but what kind of intelligence would those students provide? Commercial info from some internship? University projects?

yuca-22

Well, the ccp ate the summer homework of British students
Just like why people would believe in McCarthyism and never learn from it

Tricky-Bag-4361

Vital intelligence like the pig swill they serve as food and how dirty the public transport is.

hanky0898

Many years ago, I studied in a graduate program in the UK. About a 3rd of the students in the program were Chinese nationals. They never shared their real names (even when I asked), were always on campus studying (even though I caught major plagiarism in their work), and never continued any communication after graduation. It was really weird. TBH

Living_Direction3499

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Knowing us we just give them our passwords.

MDFHASDIED

They already have a massive foothold in the UK so it's pretty obvious how they spy.

Mr_Dakkyz

The funny thing is the assumption that Britain has anything worth stealing.

SecretxThinker

We also spy on China. Is anyone else tired of the media finding us a bad guy so we miss our own politicians corruption?

ShiShi93

I can understand spying on America, Germany, Japan, but genuinely what do we have worth spying? It all gets leaked by our flaky security anyway like the Afghan leak, Our army has obsolete rifles and tanks and we are decades behind with our transport infrastructure.

lalabadmans

mattymattymatty96

[Sounds familiar](https://www.dw.com/en/how-china-intimidates-uighurs-abroad-by-threatening-their-families/a-49554977). Almost as if it's standard operating procedure over there.

Sadutote

**From The Telegraph's Education Editor, Poppy Wood:** 

In late 2022, Haoyu, a Chinese student at a top British university, saw a call flash up on his mobile phone from a withheld number.

The male voice at the end of the line identified themselves as a member of [Chinese Students and Scholars Association](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/09/16/china-spies-beijing-xi-jinping-security-services/) (CSSA), a network of student-led organisations which claimed to represent Chinese citizens studying abroad. They said they knew where Haoyu lived, where his parents lived, and that there would be repercussions for what he had done.

Haoyu, whose real name has not been used in order to protect his identity, was among several hundred protesters who had gathered outside the Chinese embassy in London on November 27 2022 to demonstrate against president Xi Jinping’s Covid policies. Known as the [White Paper Movement](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/11/27/bbc-journalist-beaten-kicked-police-covid-protests-china/), the rally was one of dozens organised across the world to show solidarity with rare anti-government protests that erupted in China several weeks earlier.

Though ostensibly reacting to strict lockdown measures under Mr Xi, the demonstrations were also part of a broader protest against Chinese oppression. Wearing Covid masks to obscure their faces, protesters filled the street outside 49 Portland Place in Marylebone and held up blank sheets of paper – a symbol of China’s pervasive censorship.

Haoyu is one of several students who The Telegraph has spoken to about the real-life consequences of Chinese dissidence in the UK.

Students described a similar pattern of receiving flak from their peers after speaking critically about China, before the situation escalated to more formal punishments.

It comes amid growing fears that UK universities are failing to protect China-critical students for fear of jeopardising lucrative ties with Beijing.

There are around 150,000 Chinese students enrolled at British universities, who collectively contribute around £2.3 billion in fees each year.

Chinese students also make up a significant portion of the overall student body at many universities, including some leading Russell Group institutions. More than a quarter of all students at University College London came from China in 2022/23, while just under a fifth did at the University of Manchester, according to the Higher Education Statistics Authority.

At the same time, the [UK university sector receives millions](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/23/uk-university-bosses-make-180-visits-to-china-since-2023/) each year in donations, grants and research funding from Chinese sources, with many institutions holding fruitful partnerships with Beijing institutions.

**Article Link:** [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/25/uk-university-students-china-dissidents-free-speech/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/25/uk-university-students-china-dissidents-free-speech/)

TheTelegraph

This is just a glimpse into what CCP dogs are up to. Member how Western Europe discounted Eastern Europe's warnings about Russia? 

Don't make the same mistake w/China. They are just as if not more malevolent towards the West, just further away.

happycow24

[deleted]

I don't see what a *university* is supposed to do about that sort of thing when [national governments](/r/geopolitics/comments/1jjtc3d/fleeing_hong_kong_wasnt_enough/) seem to be having trouble with it. Transnational repression definitely isn't just some kind of "campus life" issue.

Hizonner

Snapshot of _New Chinese 'embassy' in London to contain a 'campus for 200 spies'_ :

An archived version can be found [here](https://archive.is/?run=1&amp;url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14878887/amp/New-Chinese-embassy-London-spies.html)  or [here.](https://archive.ph/?run=1&amp;url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14878887/amp/New-Chinese-embassy-London-spies.html)         


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Well, that's the next 20 James Bond instalments sorted.

Once this embassy is operational and recognised under international law, UK authorities lose the ability to inspect what goes on inside, thanks to the Vienna Convention. That includes areas like the so-called “cultural exchange” wing which are declared off-limits.

What’s wild is that Labour ministers have just shrugged this off, saying the planning application has to be assessed purely on compliance with local regulations, as if this is Bob and Mildred putting an extension on their Townhouse. They’ve made it clear they won’t allow political or strategic considerations to interfere with the process.

Basically they're completely ignoring the national security implications. MI5, the Met, and even the Bank of England have all raised concerns. Like it or not, this is a hostile state’s listening post right between the City and Canary Wharf.

MarvinTheMagpie

Put them all into a reality TV show judged by Simon Cowell to find Britain's Best Chinese Spy.

eltrotter

See Prince Andrew's lost himself another job.

Tifog

The Murdoch media group is a bigger threat to our nation than this embassy will be

Ubericious

It’s wild to see the UK just voluntarily throw away its national security on multiple fronts.

Embarrassed-Lead6471

Our current allies do much worse spying - see Five Eyes perhaps for the most easy / effective example

The outrage over this correspondingly only makes sense if you perceive China as a hostile nation which needs to be combatted at all avenues. I’d argue this is a silly perspective - because quite frankly we’re not anymore a country that’s in the position to be making enemies with large and powerful actors, and China seems a far more reliable deal than the US these days.

BlueStarch

Embassy is always full of spy no matter which one, I  thought it was common sense.

smallbatter

i would assume all embassies contain some sort of spies don't they?

chaosandturmoil

Government officials are told to use burner devices and act as though they're already compromised the second they step foot in China, because Chinese intelligence is likely already watching them.

I would be utterly shocked if Chinese officials in the UK are not held to a similar level of scrutiny, and if they are, our government certainly aren't going to be making a big song and dance about it.

As far as I understand it, it's an unwritten rule in the intelligence community to assume you are being watched at all times, and embassies have been used as covers for this type of activity for a long, long time.

LeTrolleur

They should have been given a 9x10ft shed.

"Here's some islands, and yes we'll pay for the cucking. Not enough? Have some land in London to train spies"

Nimble_Natu177

Got to love the Daily Mail. Why not just let the Chinese build their embassy - they've already bought the site. It reminds me of a home counties planning committee. I thought we were supposed to be trying to get on with them now following the loss of the US as a reliable ally ?

vf68bv

Another week another article about how in 2025 a foreign country needs a physical building with 'embassy' written on it to spy on us and conduct espionage.  Absolutely ridiculous.

Let China have their embassy - we let them buy the building, let's let them follow thrghou.

They're a big global power, growing in prominence.  EVERY OTHER COUNTRY including the USA, including allies, observes us, has their people in our country and so on, and we spy on them.

"but their embassy will be near to the city of London" - it doesn't matter.  If any country wants to be 'near to the city of London' they can hire any one of the thousands of offices in the City and put people in there.  It does not matter.  Espionage is conducted remotely.

wappingite

Bet the food hall will be really popular.

Grassy_Gnoll67

On the plus side, Labour MPs will now have a steady source of girlfriends (and the occasional boyfriend) for the next four years.

Ok_Vermicelli_5413

This labour government is beyond pathetic. If they allow this then they should be ousted from office. This is treason. What a sad bunch of people.

FluidLock1999

Britain's MI5 has issued an espionage alert warning lawmakers that Chinese spies are attempting to recruit them via LinkedIn. Security Minister Dan Jarvis emphasized the government's determination to combat such covert interference, which includes approaches targeting Parliament staff and other officials through false recruitment profiles.

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