Frank Williams, Phnom Penh
Chinese intelligence operatives are posing as recruiters online to lure UK government and military-linked personnel into revealing sensitive information, according to a warning issued by the Five Eyes network.
In a joint security bulletin, the intelligence partnership – comprising the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – said covert agents are using well-known job platforms such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Upwork to post bogus analyst vacancies.
The warning says applicants are gradually encouraged to share non-public information that could later be exploited by Chinese military intelligence. According to the bulletin, the aim is to obtain privileged military, political and economic material that could give China both strategic and tactical advantages.
Those seen as potential targets include people with security clearances, academics, researchers and staff at think tanks.
UK Security Minister Dan Jarvis said government and armed forces personnel should follow official guidance on recognising suspicious online approaches and avoid accidentally putting national security at risk. He added that the UK would continue acting against hostile activity by foreign states, including China, and pointed to recent cases as evidence that authorities have powers to prosecute such acts.
The bulletin outlines a multi-step approach allegedly used by the operatives. Fake job advertisements are posted online, and submitted CVs are then reviewed to identify individuals who may have useful access or connections. Interviews are conducted remotely to assess whether candidates can provide insights into areas such as government relationships or military matters.
At a later stage, applicants may be asked to produce sample reports on issues such as Chinese foreign policy or defence. In some cases, they are reportedly offered payments of up to $1,000 per report through online payment services.
The warning follows earlier concerns raised by MI5. In November, Jarvis said the agency had identified two LinkedIn profiles – Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen – allegedly being used on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security.
Simon Whelband, a researcher working for Conservative MP Neil O’Brien, said one of the profiles had contacted him with what appeared to be a job opportunity. He said the message was written in poor English, but warned that less experienced recipients might mistake it for a legitimate offer.
O’Brien said younger or more junior professionals could be especially vulnerable if they were unfamiliar with the warning signs of this kind of approach.
The UK government has already announced a £170 million upgrade to encrypted systems used in official business, alongside additional measures aimed at countering cyber threats linked to China.
The issue comes amid broader tensions over alleged Chinese espionage. In September, a case involving two men accused of spying for China collapsed shortly before trial after prosecutors said key government evidence describing China as a national security threat could not be secured.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in London rejected the allegations, calling them false and describing them as malicious slander. The spokesperson also accused the Five Eyes alliance of carrying out espionage activities globally and said it posed the real threat to peace-loving nations.
