Sunak said he confronted Li on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi on Sunday, calling “any interference in our parliamentary democracy … obviously unacceptable”.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, however, told a news conference in Beijing that “The so-called claim that China is conducting espionage activities against the UK is pure fabrication. China resolutely opposes this.”
“We urge the UK to stop spreading disinformation and stop its anti-China political manipulation and malicious slander,” Mao added.
The younger man who was detained has not been named by UK authorities. He has denied any involvement in espionage in a statement released by his lawyers.
“I feel forced to respond to the media accusations that I am a ‘Chinese spy’. It is wrong that I should be obliged to make any form of public comment on the misreporting that has taken place,” he said.
“However, given what has been reported, it is vital that it is known that I am completely innocent.”
GROWING CONCERNS
The accused added: “I have spent my career to date trying to educate others about the challenge and threats presented by the Chinese Communist Party.
“To do what has been claimed against me in extravagant news reporting would be against everything I stand for.”
Concerns over China have been growing in the UK in recent years, even as London looks to the Indo-Pacific region for new business and trade opportunities after leaving the European Union.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Beijing last month, shortly after a UK parliamentary committee called Beijing “a threat” to the country and its interests.
“The behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party is currently characterised by increased aggression” towards Britain, the intelligence and security committee wrote.
British security services last year warned MPs that a suspected Chinese spy had engaged in “political interference activities”.
The woman, a London-based solicitor, reportedly donated £200,000 (US$275,000, €239,000) to a leading opposition Labour MP and hundreds of thousands of pounds to his party.
Britain in 2020 ordered the phased removal of Chinese telecoms company Huawei from its 5G network – including national intelligence – after pressure from backbenchers led by Duncan Smith, who called the firm an arm of the Communist Party.
In March, Chinese-owned video app TikTok was banned on British government devices over fears user data could be used or abused by Chinese officials.
Source: CNA
