James Cleverly declines to comment on whether he discussed the espionage allegations with China during his time in Parliament

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has declined to comment on whether he discussed the case of a parliamentary researcher arrested on suspicion of spying for China with the Chinese government. Cleverly mentioned that he and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have both engaged in discussions with Chinese leaders regarding "interference in our democracy." However, when specifically asked about addressing the allegations with Chinese officials, he stated that he would not comment on security-related matters. The researcher in question has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. In March, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that two individuals had been arrested under the Official Secrets Act, with reports indicating that one of them was a parliamentary researcher actively involved in international affairs. This incident has sparked concerns within the Conservative Party regarding the government's approach to China. Influential Tory MPs, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, have urged the government to officially designate China as a "threat," a step that has been resisted by the government. Regarding this criticism, Cleverly acknowledged that disregarding China is not a viable policy. Despite concerns, he emphasized that the UK should engage in face-to-face conversations with China to address various issues, such as China's imposition of sanctions on British parliamentarians. Cleverly made history as the first foreign secretary to visit China in five years during a recent trip. However, he declined to comment on whether he was aware of the parliamentary researcher's arrest before this visit. Likewise, he refused to disclose whether discussions surrounding the case had taken place during his meetings with Chinese officials. Cleverly did mention that he and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during his encounter with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the G20 summit, raised concerns about Chinese actions aimed at undermining or distorting UK democracy. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticized Sunak for ignoring warnings about China and called for a comprehensive audit of the relations between the two countries. China has denied the allegations, dismissing them as malicious slander. Although it is the UK's fourth largest trading partner, tensions have escalated between the UK and China in recent years due to issues such as human rights concerns in Hong Kong, a former British colony, and China's neutral stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.