United Kingdom all set to give details of a cyber security threat that it says is posed by China

On Monday (Mar 25), the United Kingdom (UK) is scheduled to provide details regarding a cyber security threat attributed to China. British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden is set to address parliament on the matter, as confirmed by a government official speaking to Reuters. However, the official declined to confirm whether Deputy Prime Minister Dowden would announce any retaliatory measures, including sanctions.

This anticipated development comes amid increasing concerns regarding China’s alleged espionage activities in the UK. These concerns escalated notably after the arrest of a researcher at the British Parliament last year on suspicion of spying for China.

The arrested researcher, who was engaged in international affairs matters, reportedly had access to multiple Conservative Members of Parliament (MPs), according to a report by the Sunday Times. Among those he had access to were security minister Tom Tugendhat and foreign affairs committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns, as per the report.

In advance of Dowden’s statement in Parliament, British media outlets have speculated that the government will attribute a 2021 hack on the UK’s Electoral Commission to Beijing.