The exchange of espionage accusations between China and several Western countries continues to escalate. Recently, China accused the UK's

Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) of recruiting Chinese state employees as spies.

China's Ministry of State Security, via its official WeChat channel, alleged that MI6 operatives turned a Chinese man, identified only by his surname Wang, and his wife, surnamed Zhou, against their own country. Both individuals were employed in highly confidential departments within a Chinese state agency.

According to the ministry, MI6 began cultivating Mr. Wang when he went to the UK for studies in 2015 through a Sino-British exchange program. The operatives reportedly took "special care" of him during his stay, engaging him in dinners and tours to better understand his interests and vulnerabilities.

This revelation follows closely on the heels of the UK's recent charges against two men accused of spying for China. UK authorities claimed these men provided "articles, notes, documents, or information" to a foreign state, while China dismissed the allegations as "malicious slander." Additionally, a former Royal Marine, previously charged with aiding the Hong Kong intelligence service, was found dead earlier this month.

The espionage accusations between Beijing and Western countries are mounting. In the case of Mr. Wang, Chinese authorities claimed that MI6 exploited his "strong desire for money," befriended him under the pretense of being alumni, and engaged him in "paid consulting services." After some time, the operatives assessed that "the conditions were ripe" and asked him to serve the British government in exchange for better remuneration and security offers.

The ministry also alleged that through Mr. Wang, MI6 recruited his wife, Ms. Zhou, to spy for China. Initially hesitant, Mr. Wang eventually agreed to the operatives' repeated persuasion, enticement, and coercion. Consequently, he persuaded his wife to join the espionage activities, making them both British spies.

The Ministry of State Security stated that the investigation into the case is ongoing. Since the launch of its official channel in August, the ministry has been posting frequent updates. In January, it warned Chinese citizens about "exotic beauties" trying to lure them into foreign spy agencies' traps. The ministry has also cautioned against photographing military equipment and warned about organizations recruiting aviation enthusiasts to transmit China's flight data to other countries. Photo by 維基小霸王, Wikimedia commons.