MPs urge tougher action over China hack

Tory MPs yesterday urged ministers to take a tougher approach towards China after the security services confirmed Beijing-backed hackers were responsible for a cyber-attack targeting the UK elections watchdog and a surveillance operation on British politicians.

- Pippa Crerar, Eleni Courea

The Chinese ambassador will be summoned to explain his country's actions, which resulted in Beijing allegedly accessing the personal details of about 40 million voters held by the Electoral Commission.

The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, also found that four British parliamentarians who have been critical of Beijing were targeted in a separate attack.

Two individuals and a front company linked to the cyber espionage group APT31, which is associated with the Chinese ministry of state security, have been hit with sanctions by the UK as a result.

Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, told MPs that Beijing's attempts to interfere with UK democracy and politics had not been successful, and the government had bolstered its cyber-defences since the attacks.

"We will not hesitate to take swift and robust actions wherever the Chinese government threatens the United Kingdom's interests," he said. "The UK judges that these actions demonstrate a clear and persistent pattern of behaviour that signals hostile intent from China."

The disclosure marks a new low point in Beijing-London relations. Conservative MPs urged the government to take tougher action against Beijing and to add top Chinese officials to a register of hostile state actors.