MI5 has warned MPs and peers that they face a significant espionage risk from the Chinese State.
A new “espionage alert” has been circulated to members of the Commons and Lords, issued by the security services,
In a letter to MPs, Sir Lindsay said Chinese state actors are “relentless” in their attempts to “interfere with our processes and influence activity at Parliament”.
The Commons speaker claimed the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) was “actively reaching out to individuals in our community”, arguing they seek to “collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf”.
Sir Lindsay said the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) has been trying to contact individuals in Parliament through two recruiters named as Amanda Qiu from BR-YR Executive Search and Shirly Shen of Internship Union.
Sir Lindsay said the two have been “using LinkedIn profiles to conduct outreach at scale on behalf of MSS”.
The letter said: “I am writing to you now to draw your attention to the attached Espionage Alert issued by the Security Service, MI5, to the parliamentary community.
“This alert highlights how the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is actively reaching out to individuals in our community. Their aim is to collect information and lay the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf.
“The alert names two recruitment head-hunters: Amanda Qiu (BR-YR Executive Search) and Shirly Shen (Internship Union). Both are known to be using LinkedIn profiles to conduct outreach at scale on behalf of MSS. The alert also highlights that other similar profiles are acting as fronts for espionage. MI5 has issued this alert because the activity is targeted and widespread.”
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