UK to Impose Sanctions Against China

Reports indicate that Oliver Dowden, the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, is set to unveil fresh sanctions against China today, Monday, in response to alleged cyberattacks in 2021.

According to The Guardian, the UK government accuses China of carrying out cyberattacks targeting Members of Parliament and the Electoral Commission. Beijing claimed to have breached the personal data of around 40 million voters.

Luke de Pulford, Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), criticized the UK government for its slow response to the cyberattacks.

He expressed surprise at the delayed reaction of British ministers, especially considering the discovery of the Electoral Commission breach in 2022. This delay suggests hesitancy in attributing the attacks to China.

Conservative MPs Ian Duncan Smith and Tim Loughton, alongside Stuart McDonald from the Scottish National Party and David Alton, will hold separate press conferences after being briefed by the UK Parliament's security director.

These four members are part of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which comprises legislators from various countries, including twenty from the UK.

The UK has the authority to impose sanctions on individuals believed to be involved in state-sponsored interference, including the attack on the Electoral Commission.