(ANSA) - BEIJING, 01 DEC - China has rejected the criticisms of the British intelligence chief Sir Richard Moore, according to whom the containment of threats arriving from Beijing is "the only top priority", speaking of "Cold War mentality".
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin accused Moore of "deliberately distorting the facts and defaming China's policies" by leveraging "Cold War-minded" arguments and words with the aim of provoking ideological confrontation. Moore, head of MI6, the British foreign intelligence service, made his remarks yesterday speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London (IISS).
China, the diplomat said, uses its economic influence to try to "hook" other countries, effectively eroding their sovereignty and gaining access to crucial data.
Moore also warned of the risks that Beijing could make "misjudgments" due to "overconfidence" and that Chinese spying activities include targeting "those who work in government, in industries or in research of particular interest" .
Chinese intelligence agents "seek to exploit the open nature of our society, including through the use of social media platforms to facilitate their operations."
(HANDLE).
