The UK government has formally accused China of orchestrating 'malicious' cyber campaigns targeting Members of Parliament and the Electoral Commission. In response, sanctions have been imposed on two Chinese nationals and a company linked to the attacks.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden stated that the cyber operations aimed to access details of MPs critical of Beijing and potentially compromise the data of up to 40 million voters. The sanctioned individuals are Zhao Guangzong and Ni Gaobin, along with Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company Ltd, which the UK alleges works for the Chinese state-affiliated cyber espionage group APT31.
The sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans, preventing the individuals and company from accessing funds or entering the UK. Dowden emphasised that the UK will not tolerate such malicious cyber activity and is committed to protecting its democratic systems.
The Chinese embassy in London dismissed the accusations as 'completely unfounded' and 'malicious slander'. The US has also charged the same two individuals with computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy in New York, while New Zealand has separately accused China of targeting its parliamentary network in 2021.
The cyber attack on the UK Electoral Commission, which occurred between August 2021 and October 2022, is considered one of the most significant in British history. Although databases containing names and addresses were accessed, Dowden assured that election security was not compromised.
MPs targeted include members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, such as former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, who called for stronger action against China. Labour has expressed support for the government's efforts to counter state interference in the electoral process.
