MI5 Identifies LinkedIn Profiles Used by Chinese Security Services to Target UK Politics
MI5 has identified two LinkedIn profiles used by Chinese security services acting as civilian recruitment headhunters targeting British politics to solicit insider insights. The profiles, named Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen, were part of a warning circulated to MPs and peers by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lords Speaker Lord McFall. The warning noted it was not confirmed whether the pictured LinkedIn accounts truly belonged to the individuals.
Simon Whelband, a Conservative councillor and staffer to MP Neil O'Brien, received a LinkedIn message from Shirly Shen offering a job. Whelband described the message as poorly written and framed as a job opportunity. He did not respond and reported it to Parliament's security services before blocking the account. Whelband highlighted that parliamentary staff are increasingly targeted and that junior staff may be especially vulnerable to these approaches.
The warning comes amid broader security concerns discussed during a Commons debate on China. Security minister Dan Jarvis acknowledged the risks associated with Chinese activities, including Chinese-made buses with kill switches, military vehicles equipped with listening devices, and plans by China to build a large embassy near central London data cables. These concerns exist alongside political debates about balancing pragmatic engagement with China. This context includes recent official visits to Beijing and the continued presence of China hawks within Parliament.
Additionally, the article noted the collapse last month of a court case involving two men accused of spying for China, one of whom had worked in Westminster. Both men denied any wrongdoing.
