UK Ministers to Identify China for Cyber Attacks After Lords Defeat

Ministers in the United Kingdom will be compelled to publicly name and shame China for cyber-attacks on British networks following a defeat in the House of Lords. An amendment to the Cyber Security and Resilience bill, passed Monday, requires the government to maintain a register of foreign states targeting UK networks and to report on the risks posed by hostile state actors.

The amendment, which was proposed by Conservative and Crossbench peers and passed with 194 votes in favor to 155 against, aims to increase transparency regarding cyber threats. While the legislation covers all foreign powers, critics accused the government of reluctance to identify China, suggesting a desire to avoid alienating Beijing due to economic ties.

Shadow foreign affairs minister Alicia Kearns described the amendment's passage as an "embarrassing defeat for the Government" and a "stark warning that Labour is failing to take the threats facing our country seriously enough." She urged ministers to accept the amendment to protect national security and called on Labour backbenchers to support the measure in the House of Commons.

Crossbench peer Lord Alton, who sponsored the amendment, stated, "We need to be much clearer about who is threatening our security instead of playing footsie with hostile regimes." He added that continuing business as usual with states launching daily cyber-attacks is counterproductive.

Luke de Pulford, founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, commented that the government's resistance was unsurprising, suggesting the Foreign Office wished to maintain diplomatic flexibility while Beijing allegedly conducts daily cyber-attacks. He asserted that China can no longer be considered a benign partner and that the amendment should be retained in the bill.

This development comes amid accusations that the Labour party is prioritizing financial gains over national security concerns in its relationship with China. Security sources have previously suggested that the UK's reliance on China for solar panel supplies influences the government's approach.

Furthermore, the government has faced criticism for not placing China in the highest risk category on its Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS). This scheme requires groups lobbying on behalf of foreign states to register, but China was omitted from the 'enhanced tier' which targets Russia and Iran. The Daily Mail reported that only 20 foreign entities have registered under the scheme to date, with none being from China.

The Cyber Security and Resilience bill will now proceed to the House of Commons for further debate and consideration by Members of Parliament.