British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed concerns about alleged Chinese interference in Britain’s parliamentary democracy, which he met with China’s Premier Li Qiang in New Delhi. Sunak met with Li Qiang as two men, one aged 20 and a researcher with connections to several Conservative Party MPs, were arrested under Britain’s official secrets law.
The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command is investigating the case. The researchers were held at a south London police station until they were released on bail in early October. The parliamentary researcher has been linked to UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat but has had no contact with the senior leader before becoming a cabinet minister in September last year.
The Inter-Parliamentary Coalition on China Pressure Group was shocked by reports of infiltration of the British Parliament by someone allegedly working on behalf of the People’s Republic of China. The allegations come amid strained Britain-China relations and just weeks after Foreign Secretary James Cleverley became one of the most senior British government officials to visit Beijing.
