united front - sight? it has been estimated that the united front work i that the united front work department which is a sprawlingny as 40,000 people working for it abroad around the world, so if you were to interpret that in the british context we might be talking hundreds, possibly more than that. and what we do know is that from recent reporting the overseas chinese police stations and other categories of station are also united front work department linked organisations, so this is a group which has in the words of the intelligence and security committee report last year "penetrated every sector of the uk economy" and you can't do that with one or two people, so enough people to be seriously worried about.— worried about. what will concern _ worried about. what will concern people - worried about. what will concern people is - worried about. what will concern people is the i worried about. what will. concern people is the length worried about. what will - concern people is the length of time it took to ban him from the uk knowing what they had gleaned from his devices. so the messages taken in november 2021 w

trying — united front work department. trying to— united front work department.her intelligence and notjust in the uk _ intelligence and notjust in the uk but around the world. and — the uk but around the world. and trying to influence everybody, from academics and journalists and business people, politicians, people in the public eye, to try to change _ the public eye, to try to change the debate and the nature _ change the debate and the nature of the conversation about _ nature of the conversation about china. and that is really what — about china. and that is really what this— about china. and that is really what this report is all about. in what this report is all about. in terms— what this report is all about. in terms of the objectives, tell me more about what you think the chinese are trying to do here. ~ ., ., , think the chinese are trying to do here. ~ ., .,, ., do here. well, china has long held view _ do here. well, china has long held view that _ do here. well, china has long held view that it _ do here. well, china has long held view that it should

they do devote a very considerable resources to the united front work department, which i suppose is the villain of the piece. it is a very important department, one of the six departments of the chinese communist party and has very large resources. tell me if you _ has very large resources. tell me if you have _ has very large resources. tell me if you have the _ has very large resources. tell me if you have the obvious manifestations. i me if you have the obvious manifestations.— me if you have the obvious manifestations. i suppose what the united _ manifestations. i suppose what the united front _ manifestations. i suppose what the united front is _ manifestations. i suppose what the united front is trying - manifestations. i suppose what the united front is trying to - the united front is trying to do is to swing the debate or the view of china onto a way that supports their line in view of things. if you think of... to go back to the case of christine lee and barry gardner, there was half £1 million devoted to gardner, there was half £1 million devotet think are penetration we t

there is a particular organisation called the united front work department which has worked for prettyw, it was set up to influence elites in western and foreign countries in general. it looks like that is what has been going on here in a broad sense. ~ ., ~ sense. when he had the mis talkin: sense. when he had the mis talking about _ sense. when he had the mis talking about this _ sense. when he had the mis talking about this debt - sense. when he had the mis talking about this debt of. talking about this debt of obligation that potentially could be raised when that kind of influence happens, what we mean by that? it of influence happens, what we mean by that?— mean by that? it could mean different things _ mean by that? it could mean different things in _ mean by that? it could mean different things in different l different things in different places. we don't know much about this particular case and i think it would be unwise to comment until we have full details but in general, if someone is financially vulnerable, might be the case that they think they might be able to benefit fro

luke: it has been estimated the united front work department, which is a sprawling organization, has 40,000 people working around the world. and british context, you might be talking hundreds, possibly more than that. what we do know is from recent reporting, the overseas chinese police stations and other categories ostations are also from linked organizations. so this is a group which has come in the words of the intelligence and security committee report from last year, penetrated every sector of the u.k. economy, and you can't do that with one or two people. so it is nothing to be seriously worried about. christian: what will concern people? the time it took to ban him from the u.k., knowing what they glean from his devices? of messages that were taken in november 20 21 were not acted upon until february 2023. how would you explain that, do you think? luke: well, i think a defense of intelligence and curity services, we have not had legislation to deal with these kinds of activities until relatively recently, not until 2023 did we have a national security investment act, which cre

pattern of hostile activity by china i of hostile activity by china activated by a so—called united front work departmentnamed. yang tengbo said he did nothing wrong and will appeal. we'll find out more about him and in light of what we now know why did the intelligence services take so long to him from the uk? —— to ban him from the uk. also tonight, bashar al—assad said he never intended to flee to russia. and our expert make ek is here for tonight's security brief. —— are expert. good evening. the alleged chinese spy with alleged chinese spy with alleged links to

say is that there is a pattern of hostile activity by china, organised by its so—called united front work departmentand gather intelligence, and notjust in the uk, but around the world, and trying to influence everybody from academics and journalists, business people, politicians, people in the public eye — to try and change the debate, to try and change the nature of the conversation about china. and that's really what this report is all about. in terms of the objectives, tell me more about what you think the chinese are trying to do here. well, china has long held a view that it should be influencing the way in which it is spoken about in other places. so we've seen academics being pressured and on occasion, silenced. we've seen individuals in the united kingdom, sometimes chinese citizens, sometimes hong kongers, who have been pressured to change what they're saying. and we've seen, of course, standard espionage. you know, the stealing of intellectual property, economic secrets, and so on in order to profit china. we've also seen, of course, that those overseas police service stations, as they we

there's a particular organisation called the united front work department, which has worked for pretty940s to influence elites in western and foreign countries in general. and it looks like that's what's been going on here, probably in a broad sense. so when you hear the head of mi5 talk about this debt of obligation that potentially could be raised when that kind of influence happens, what do we mean by that? well, it could mean different things in different places. i mean, there may be something we don't know much about this particular case, and i think it would be unwise to comment until we have full details. but in general, if someone says financially vulnerable, it might be the case that they think they're going to be able to benefit from a business contact, perhaps that might help them in that particular area. or it may be that perhaps some kind of, uh, sense that getting to know a place by visiting it and getting to know people there could be seen as building up a relationship that might be useful in political or business terms in future. after all, remember that china has a lot

claimed he believed he worked for an arm of the chinese communist party, which is called a united front work departmentas challenged these court proceedings throughout, and maintains that this is not true. , . , maintains that this is not true. , ,. ,, true. this has been discussed in the house _ true. this has been discussed in the house of _ true. this has been discussed in the house of commons - true. this has been discussed | in the house of commons this afternoon, we understand there could even be an urgent question on it. we were told earlier today. the level of threat, potentially, this is what people are saying and they are concerned about the threat that china poses to the uk post any comment from the prime minister, who is out of the country at the moment? yes, he is on a trip _ country at the moment? yes, he is on a trip to — country at the moment? yes, he is on a trip to norway, _ country at the moment? yes, he is on a trip to norway, he - country at the moment? yes, he is on a trip to norway, he was i is on a trip to norway, he was asked about this case and he said he would not comment on

there is a pattern of hostile activity by china activated by a so—called united front work departmentesigned... and we will have a correspondents with us very shortly to guide us through this but first let's have a look at the latest bbc news. the german chancellor olaf scholz has lost a confidence vote in parliament paving the way for a general election in february, following the collapse of his coalition government last month in a row over spending amid a deepening economic crisis. a lawyer representing serial child killer lucy b says he is appealing to the court of appeal to push for her convictions to be re—examined —— lucy letby. he says his case is based around the leading evidence from the key prosecution witness. by a so—called united front work department designed... and we will have a correspondents with us very shortly to guide us through this but first let's have a look at the latest bbc news. the german chancellor olaf scholz has lost a confidence vote in parliament paving the way for a general election in february, following the collapse of his coalition government last

where we encounter foreign interference or espionage, whether this stems from the united front work departmentft in using all available tools, including prosecutions, exclusions, sanctions, and diplomacy in order to keep our country safe. given the potential for further litigation, country safe. given the potential forfurther litigation, it country safe. given the potential for further litigation, it would country safe. given the potential forfurther litigation, it would not be appropriate for me to say any more, but it is important to recognise that this case not exist in a vacuum. as the director—general of mis in a vacuum. as the director—general of m15 made clear in october, we are in the most complex threat environment he has ever seen. alongside the threat from terrorism, we face ongoing efforts by a number of states, including china, russia and iran, to harm uk security. our responses among the most robust and sophisticated anywhere in the world, and a national security act 2023, which was supported by members on all sides of the house, and which strengthened our powers to protect the u

the man, identified only as h—6, is accused of working for beijing's united front work department andportedly met former prime ministers and became a confidante of prince andrew. former conservative leader sir iain duncan smith is demanding answers in parliament, while nigel farage has threatened to name h—6 under parliamentary privilege unless a court lifts the anonymity order. home secretary yvette cooper has acknowledged the complex relationship with china, balancing economic ties with safeguarding national security, while security officials are warning the case is just the tip of the iceberg and are calling as calls rather grow for a tougher foreign influence registration scheme. while the conservatives tom tugendhat told us earlier this morning that he thinks the government are moving too fast to re—establish uk china relations in what is frankly being reckless in reaching out to china as they did at the 620 and as rachel reevesis did at the 620 and as rachel reeves is planning to do in january, without having the proper protections ready. >> look, the foreign influence registrat

will say that there is a pattern of hostile activity by china, organised by so—called united front work department to influence and gather intelligence and notjust in the uk, but around the world. trying to influence everybody, from academics and journalists, business people, people in the public eye, to try to change the debate and change the nature of the conversation about china. that is really what this report is all about. in terms of the objectives, tell me more about what you think the chinese are trying to do here. ~ ., ., , think the chinese are trying to do here. ~ ., .,, ., do here. well, china has long held u- do here. well, china has long held up viewed _ do here. well, china has long held up viewed that _ do here. well, china has long held up viewed that it - do here. well, china has long held up viewed that it should | held up viewed that it should be influencing the way in which it is spoken about in other places. we have seen academics being pressured and on occasion silenced, we have seen individuals in the united kingdom, sometimes chinese citizens, sometimes hong kong citizens,

and when you look at what this unit, this shadowy united work front department, which has been the source of this within china, is basically a propaganda arm of the chinese government that aims to send people out into establishments in foreign countries to in liberal democracies, to effectively try and get influence and try and influence those key players. >> and we're talking a lot about the headache for the king and whether or not, you know, prince andrew will have to sort of be out of sight for christmas day, for example. but actually this is a huge headache for the government as well, because just a few weeks ago, we all remember starmer and their translators cosying up to xi jinping at the g20 in brazil, saying, this is a different government. we're going to be, you know, great partners with you. well, hang on a minute. is this a good idea? >> yeah. and i mean, if you look at the government when it in the election campaign, there was no there was no word of china. there was absolutely no mention. i do remember asking them what's your china approach going to be. and at the time they s