General view of the Houses of Parliament with scaffolding erected around a section of it in London, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016. (AP)

A researcher employed by the UK House of Commons and another individual were arrested in March under suspicion of espionage for China, according to the Sunday Times.

A source with knowledge of the situation close to Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, has stated that if the allegations prove true, it would signify a "significant escalation" in tensions with Beijing.

Tensions between China and Western nations have escalated in recent years. In July 2022, the heads of MI5 and the FBI issued a joint statement characterizing Beijing as "the most significant long-term threat." However, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly adopted a more conciliatory stance during his recent visit to Beijing, emphasizing the need for a "pragmatic, sensible working relationship with China." He also criticized calls for complete disengagement from China.

China has consistently denied allegations of espionage, accusing Western nations of conducting a global smear campaign and urging them to discard their "Cold War mentality."

In March, a researcher employed by the UK House of Commons and another individual were arrested on suspicion of spying for China, as reported by the Sunday Times. The researcher specialized in international policy and had connections to several "senior Tory MPs," some of whom had access to classified or highly sensitive information. The individual also had contacts with Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat and Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

The Metropolitan Police Service confirmed the arrests of a man in his 30s in Oxfordshire and a man in his 20s in Edinburgh under the Official Secrets Act. Searches were conducted at their residences and a third address in east London. Both suspects have been released on bail until later in October.

The Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, responsible for handling espionage-related cases, is leading the investigation. Alicia Kearns declined to comment in detail on the matter, emphasizing the importance of not jeopardizing the ongoing work of the authorities.

China's stance on espionage allegations remains consistent, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterating China's firm opposition to espionage activities and calling on relevant parties to cease groundless accusations in June.

Fear of 'espionage'

The fear of espionage, or rather Sinophobia, has been looming over the UK for a while now. Last month, British lawmakers warned against importing Chinese electric vehicles, claiming the technology embedded in the vehicles could be used to spy on British citizens.

With China leading the global EV market, cheaper Chinese vehicles are expected to dominate automotive sales in the United Kingdom. A cross-party group of MPs has expressed concern to the government that Britain is on the verge of handing over control of critical infrastructure to Beijing, with all of the "associated security risks."

“If it is manufactured in a country like China, how certain can you be that it won’t be a vehicle for collecting intel and data? If you have electric vehicles manufactured by countries who are already using technology to spy, why would they not do the same here?” an unnamed senior government official told The Telegraph.

Another spy accusation

It seems like some Western states are practicing Sinophobia, given the latest series of events. Not too long ago, Germany's education minister called for a review of student exchange policies with China on July 29, citing an alleged increased risk of scientific espionage presented by Chinese students receiving full state scholarships in Germany.

"China is becoming more and more competitive and is a systemic rival in the domain of science and research," Bettina Stark-Watzinger said in an interview published by the Mediengruppe Bayern.

The minister applauded the decision of the Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) in Bavaria, which routinely collaborates with German industry on research initiatives, to no longer admit Chinese students whose entire funding comes from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), a governmental entity.

German media Deutsche Welle and Correctiv recently published allegations that winners of these scholarships must take a loyalty oath to the Chinese government or face legal action.