ISTANBUL

Beijing on Monday accused British intelligence service MI6 of hiring a couple working for a Chinese state agency to spy for the UK, state media reported.

The Ministry of State Security claimed that MI6 had recruited a Chinese couple who worked for a central state agency.

Chinese authorities discovered that an employee named Wang and his spouse Zhou were recruited by MI6 after he participated in a China-UK exchange program in 2015.

Initially, the British side used public research projects as a pretext to gradually involve Wang in core matters of the central state agency, with payments significantly higher than typical consulting fees.

“After some time, the British side assessed the situation as mature and introduced MI6 personnel to Wang, revealing their identities and requesting his services for the British government, promising higher remuneration and security guarantees,” reports Global Times.

Wang allegedly agreed to spy for the British for financial benefit.

The latest accusation is part of a string of allegations and counter-allegations from London and Beijing blaming each other for recruiting people to spy in their respective countries.

Earlier in April, the UK charged two men with spying for China and providing information "useful to an enemy."