UK Drops “Chinese Spy” Case Amid Efforts to Mend Ties with Beijing

By Staff, Agencies

Top UK security officials are expected to face questioning after prosecutors abruptly dropped charges in a high-profile “Chinese spy” case, sparking political outrage and fueling speculation that London sought to avoid damaging its trade relations with Beijing, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

The case involved Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, a teacher, both accused of sharing “prejudicial information” with China. The two men, who were arrested in 2023 and charged in April of last year, have consistently denied the allegations. Beijing has repeatedly condemned the accusations as “groundless and unacceptable smears”.

Last month, the Crown Prosecution Service [CPS] announced that all charges were being dropped just weeks before the trial was due to begin. Prosecutors cited a lack of evidence, but the move triggered sharp criticism from members of Parliament who accused the government of undermining national security.

According to Bloomberg, senior security officials will be summoned before a parliamentary committee to explain the decision. In a letter to MPs, Stephen Parkinson, the UK’s Director of Public Prosecutions, said the case was abandoned because witness testimony failed to establish that China posed a national security threat. “By August of this year, it became clear that this evidence would not be forthcoming,” he wrote.

Parkinson contrasted the case with an earlier prosecution of six Bulgarian nationals convicted of supplying information to Russia — a country legally designated as an “enemy” under the Official Secrets Act. Moscow, at the time, denied the charges and accused London of spreading anti-Russian hysteria.

British officials have denied political interference, insisting that the decision to drop the case was made independently by prosecutors. Nonetheless, the timing has fueled speculation that the move aligns with London’s recent effort to restore trade relations with Beijing.

Last month, the UK and China held their first Joint Economic and Trade Commission talks in seven years, marking a cautious thaw after years of strained relations over espionage claims and technology bans.

The collapse of the “Chinese spy” case now highlights the growing tension between Britain’s security posture and its economic pragmatism, as London seeks to balance intelligence concerns with its urgent need to maintain access to one of its largest trading partners.