China has been formally accused by the British government of being behind malicious cyber campaigns against Members of the British Parliament and the Electoral Commission. The MPs targeted are all members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which scrutinizes, and often criticizes, the activities of Beijing.

The Chinese nationals who are accused of driving these campaigns are Zhao Guangzong and Ni Gaobin and their company Wuhan Xiaoruizhi Science and Technology Company Ltd, which is suspected to work for the China state-affiliated cyber espionage group Advanced Persistent Threat Group 31 (APT31). The Chinese ambassador to the UK has been summoned to be held to account for China's conduct in the cyber campaigns.

The UK is also imposing formal sanctions on the alleged perpetrators which will freeze their assets and bar UK citizens and businesses from handling their funds or resources. A travel ban will also prevent them from entering or remaining in the UK. This marks a major change from just a few years ago, when British leaders aimed to usher in a "Golden Age" with China. Read more about this story on our LinkedIn page