The recent failure of Britain to prosecute alleged Chinese spies Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry last month isn’t just a legal embarrassment — it’s a national security warning. It shows that despite repeated alerts from MI5, Britain still underestimates the scale and sophistication of China’s threat. Charges against the two men were apparently dropped because prosecutors were unable to obtain evidence from the UK government saying that Beijing represented a threat to Britain’s national security. Mr Cash and Mr Berry deny spying charges but, whether the allegations are rooted in fact or error, the manner of this case’s collapse tells us a lot about Britain’s mistakes when it comes to China.
It is well known that China is an authoritarian state pursuing a long-term strategy to undermine Western influence and gain technological, political, and military dominance. Its tactics are subtle but relentless — and the examples are all around us. Look at our universities. Research partnerships with Chinese institutions have given Beijing access to sensitive technologies from advanced aerospace engineering to artificial intelligence. At least eleven UK universities have been warned by security agencies that their collaborations could help China’s military.
Widespread cyberattacks are another part of Beijing’s strategy. In 2021, the UK joined the USA and EU in accusing China of being behind the massive hack of Microsoft Exchange servers which compromised tens of thousands of organisations worldwide.
British companies, local councils, and even government departments have been targeted in similar intrusions, stealing intellectual property, sensitive data, and trade secrets.
And its activities are not just restricted to espionage. China’s economic reach now extends deep into critical national infrastructure. Chinese state-backed firms still have stakes in UK nuclear projects like Sizewell and Bradwell.
Huawei may have been largely removed from Britain’s 5G network, but Chinese technology remains embedded in countless systems that underpin our communications, transport, and energy supply.
This is hybrid warfare in action; fought with chips, cash, and influence instead of bullets. The Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, tasked with spreading its ideology abroad, now operates openly through community groups, business networks, and student associations across Britain.
It’s about winning hearts, minds, and data without firing a shot.
The problem is not that Britain lacks the evidence of such all-pervasive activities. It’s that we lack the political will to deal with it. When cases collapse we signal exactly what China hopes to see: weakness in the UK government.
If we are serious about defending our democracy, we need to act decisively like Australia did when it passed robust foreign interference legislation and banned political donations from overseas.
Britain needs to strengthen its National Security Act, vet university partnerships more closely, and make cyber defence a national priority rather than an afterthought.
It’s time the UK faced up to the facts. The Chinese state has infiltrated our institutions, exploited our openness, and tested our resolve. The failure to prosecute alleged agents is not the end of the matter — it’s a very public wake-up call.
Because the greatest threat to Britain today isn’t that China is spying on us. It’s that we’re letting them do it.
Lt Col Stuart Crawford is a political and defence commentator and former army officer. Sign up for his podcasts and newsletters at www.DefenceReview.uk