Experts caution that British individuals may unknowingly be acting as informants for China, according to Tim Law, deputy director of the charity UK-China Transparency. Law stated that the Chinese Communist Party is adept at recruiting advisers whose activities could potentially turn “covert.” Analysts highlighted the CCP’s comprehensive strategy and suggested that politicians have limited options to prevent Beijing from laying traps.
Law emphasized that individuals on the fringes of politics might seek additional income without actively seeking to aid a foreign government. He noted the CCP’s ability to engage individuals to provide value to the party, possibly through undisclosed activities like public relations work. Law also expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the foreign influence registration scheme, which currently lacks any entries related to China.
Professor Steve Tsang of the SOAS China Institute emphasized the need to prevent individuals from falling into potential traps set by foreign powers, particularly those that are not friendly. Chung Ching Kwong, a senior analyst at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, raised concerns about individuals inadvertently getting involved with think tanks affiliated with the Chinese government. She explained that many think tanks, especially in cities like Shanghai or Beijing, operate as extensions of the government, operating discreetly in plain sight.
Notably, the recent arrest of Labour MP Joani Reid’s husband and two others on suspicion of spying for China highlights the ongoing concerns raised by experts in this field.
