Question: According to media reports, Ken McCallum,  head of MI5, claimed that China is carrying out 'epic scale' of espionage against the UK, to steal the UK’s scientific research and other sensitive information. What is your comment?

Embassy Spokesperson: The relevant remarks made by the British official are nothing but fabrications. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this.

China is a major creator of intellectual property and is committed to intellectual property protection. China has made remarkable achievements on innovation. In 2022, China ranked 11th in the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index.

Strengthening scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK is in the common interests of both sides. The British official, by exaggerating and concocting the so-called "Chinese spies" issue in the name of national security, will only undermine the atmosphere of China-UK cooperation and shoot himself in the foot.

We urge the British official to abandon the outdated Cold War mentality and zero-sum game mindset, stop making groundless accusations against China, and do more that is conducive to mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the UK, rather than the opposite.