In a significant security breach, Chinese intelligence operatives have reportedly targeted the mobile phones of senior officials within Downing Street over several years, according to revelations made on Monday evening. The sophisticated global espionage campaign is understood to have specifically focused on the personal devices of close aides to former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak between 2021 and 2024.
Operation Salt Typhoon: An Ongoing Threat
American intelligence sources have confirmed that the operation, codenamed Salt Typhoon, remains active, raising serious concerns about potential exposure of current Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his staff. This development comes as Sir Keir prepares for his diplomatic visit to China this week, marking the first such trip by a British prime minister since 2018.
Targeting the Heart of Government
While it remains unclear whether the mobile phones of the prime ministers themselves were directly targeted, multiple sources have indicated that Chinese intelligence services were determined to penetrate the very heart of British government operations. The Telegraph has reported numerous hacking attempts against Downing Street staff and wider government personnel, with particular intensity noted during Rishi Sunak's premiership from 2022 to 2024.
The National Cyber Security Centre had previously warned in 2021 that China was targeting critical sectors including government, stating that stolen data could provide Chinese intelligence services with the capability to monitor targets' communications and movements worldwide. This warning followed earlier alerts from MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum about escalating state threats against Parliament.
Historical Context and Previous Cases
This revelation follows the collapse of a separate espionage case last year, where it emerged that Beijing had specifically ordered intelligence reports about Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and Liz Truss. The case involved parliamentary researcher Chris Cash and his associate Chris Berry, who were accused of passing sensitive information about MPs to Chinese intelligence, though both denied the allegations.
The case ultimately collapsed when government advisers declined to formally designate China as a national security threat, highlighting the complex diplomatic considerations surrounding such allegations.
International Implications and Responses
In 2024, American intelligence revealed that hacking groups linked to Beijing had gained access to telecommunications companies globally, potentially compromising the phone data of millions worldwide. Anne Neuberger, then deputy US national security adviser, confirmed that these hackers possessed the capability to record phone calls at will.
Shadow Minister for National Security Alicia Kearns responded to the latest revelations by questioning the government's approach, asking how much more evidence was needed before ending what she described as simpering to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy has firmly denied the allegations, stating opposition to what they characterise as the politicisation of cybersecurity issues and unsubstantiated accusations against other nations.
The full extent of information potentially compromised remains uncertain, with no confirmation about whether sensitive data was successfully extracted during these sophisticated cyber operations against British government personnel.
