China Is Now The 'Single Greatest Priority' For MI6, Intelligence Chief Warns

China is at risk of “miscalculating through over-confidence” about Taiwan, said the head of MI6 , Richard Moore , in a warning clearly intended to tell Beijing to back off any attempt to seize control of the island nation.

- Dan Sabbagh

Giving a rare speech, Britain’s foreign intelligence chief said China was at risk of “believing its own propaganda” and that the country had become “the single greatest priority” for MI6 for the first time in its history.

He did not mention Taiwan explicitly, but its independence is not recognised by Beijing and its status remains the most acute issue of tension between China and the west.

“The Chinese Communist party leadership increasingly favour bold and decisive action on national security grounds. The days of Deng Xiaoping’s ‘hide your strength, bide your time’ are over,” Moore said.