Britain arrests a parliamentary researcher on charges of spying for China

 On Saturday, the UK police announced the arrest of a man in his twenties on charges of espionage, while the Sunday Times reported that he is a researcher in the British Parliament suspected of working for China.

Police said officers from the London Metropolitan Police Service arrested two men on March 13 on suspicion of offenses under Clause 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911.

She added that the first man - in his thirties - was arrested at an address in Oxfordshire, while the second man - in his twenties - was arrested at an address in Edinburgh.

The newspaper stated that the second suspect communicated with MPs from the Conservative Party while he was working as a parliamentary researcher, and among them were former Security Minister Tom Tugendat and Chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, Alicia Cairns.

The newspaper reported that he was a Briton who worked in international politics, including relations with Beijing, and had previously worked in China. If the accusation is proven, this case will be among the most serious security violations associated with an enemy country in the British Parliament.

Last year, MI5, the domestic intelligence service, warned that a Chinese government agent named Christine Lee “was involved in political interference activities on behalf of the Communist Party as she communicated with members of parliament.”

In July, the House of Commons Security and Intelligence Committee accused China of targeting the UK "extensively and aggressively" when the government did not have the "resources, experience and knowledge" to deal with it.

It was reported that Tugendat had limited contact with the suspect, while he did not communicate with him at all when he was Minister of Security.