British man charged with spying for China

The British prosecution announced on Monday that it had withdrawn the espionage charges against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry. The two British citizens were due to stand trial next month.

The men were originally accused of passing sensitive political information to Chinese intelligence agents between 2021 and 2023, but according to prosecutor Tom Little, the case no longer meets the required standards of evidence.

Berry had held various positions in China since 2015.

Cash, former director of the China Research Group think tank and advisor to Conservative MP Alicia Kearns (who was chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the time), said the last few months had been a “nightmare” for him and his family.

The British government expressed disappointment at the outcome, saying the allegations were serious, according to the Home Office. London has long claimed that Chinese intelligence services are targeting British officials in the fields of politics, defense, and trade.

The Chinese embassy did not immediately comment on the case, but Beijing has repeatedly described similar allegations as “exaggerated” and “malicious.”

(reuters, max)