Number 10 publishes key witness statements in collapsed China spy case

The government has repeatedly described China as a “threat” in witness statements Keir Starmer has been forced to publish in an attempt to draw a line under the controversy over the collapsed China spying case.

Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Collins said Chinese intelligence services are “highly capable and conduct large-scale espionage operations against Britain”, but added that the government is “committed to pursuing positive relations” with Beijing.

Documents will increase pressure on the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) To explain why he did not pursue the matter further.

The CPS has said the case collapsed because the government’s evidence did not show China was a national security threat at the time of the alleged crimes, which occurred under the previous Tory government.

The statements also said that two men accused of spying for China met with senior CCP figures.

In his final witness statement in August, Mr Collins said: “As I said in my earlier statement, Chinese intelligence services are highly capable and conduct large-scale espionage operations against the UK to advance Chinese state interests and harm UK interests and security.

“Chinese espionage operations threaten Britain’s economic prosperity and resilience and the integrity of our democratic institutions.”

But he also added: “However, it is important for me to stress that the UK Government is committed to building a positive relationship with China to strengthen understanding, cooperation and stability.” In an earlier statement in February, he said China was “the biggest state-based threat to Britain’s economic security”.

He said “a wide range of UK government and commercial targets” had been attacked by “Advanced Persistent Threat” (APT) groups, with China’s Ministry of State Security being held responsible.

An APT “uses persistent, covert and sophisticated hacking techniques to gain access to systems and remain inside for long periods of time with potentially devastating consequences,” Mr Collins said.

“In July 2021, the government attributed the hack of Microsoft Exchange Server to Chinese state-linked actors and ruled that the attack was intended to enable large-scale espionage, including obtaining personally identifiable information and intellectual property.”

Ministers hope the release of the documents will prove the Labor government did not force the collapse.

But conservatives said its publication was not in line with their requests and called for the “China Files” to be published in full.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “What has already been published shows the extent of the threat China poses to the UK, and it is even more shocking that the Prime Minister knew of the imminent collapse of this test, but did nothing to stop it.”

This is a breaking news story, there is more to come…