UK Parliament Warned Over LinkedIn Accounts Tied to Chinese Security Services
Simon Whelband, a Conservative councillor and staffer to MP Neil O'Brien, who was sanctioned by China in 2021, discovered a LinkedIn message from an account named Shirly Shen offering a job. He reported this to Parliament's security services and was later instructed to block the account.
MI5 identified two LinkedIn profiles, used by Chinese security services as civilian recruitment headhunters targeting British politics for insider insights. The profiles are named Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen.
A parliamentary warning was circulated to MPs and peers by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lords Speaker Lord McFall on Tuesday. The alert came amid a Commons debate on China where security minister Dan Jarvis acknowledged concerns across political parties.
Specific security concerns raised include potential kill switches in Chinese-made buses, the risk that Chinese-made military vehicles could act as mobile listening devices, and warnings to military personnel on board these vehicles about discussing sensitive information.
There is also apprehension regarding planning permission granted for a large Chinese embassy in central London, located near sensitive City data cables.
Last month, Parliament examined the collapse of a court case involving two men accused of spying for China. One of the men had worked in Westminster; both denied wrongdoing.
The UK government maintains a pragmatic approach to China, balancing practical engagement with Beijing against an awareness of the risks involved, while MPs continue to debate whether a more skeptical stance is needed.
The BBC has contacted Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen for responses although it remains unclear whether the individuals pictured on the LinkedIn profiles are the actual account holders.
