China reveals it has jailed a British businessman for five years on spying charges
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China reveals it has jailed a British businessman for five years on spying charges

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China has revealed that its courts sentenced a 70-year-old British businessman to five years in jail on espionage charges in 2022.

The businessman, recognized as Ian J Stones, was discovered responsible of committing the “crime of illegally obtaining intelligence for overseas actors,” a spokesperson for the Chinese ministry of international affairs mentioned on Friday.

Mr Stones, who has spent round 4 many years working in China with main US companies comparable to General Motors and Pfizer, disappeared from public view in 2018, in keeping with a report by the Wall Street Journal.

The businessman had additionally established a Beijing-based funding administration consulting agency 15 years in the past, it mentioned.

The motive for his disappearance was not identified and the spying charges had been formally confirmed for the primary time by the Chinese authorities on Friday after a query was raised concerning the WSJ report within the briefing.

The British nationwide had reportedly appealed in opposition to the sentencing, however the ruling was upheld in September of the identical yr.

Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin mentioned the court docket had “tried the case strictly in accordance with the law”, including that Beijing had “fully guaranteed the various legitimate rights” and organized for British officers to go to him and attend his trial.

Mr Stones’ daughter instructed the WSJ that the household has not been allowed to see authorized paperwork associated to his arrest. While one member of the family was permitted to witness some hearings, no one was allowed within the precise trial.

The revelation comes as issues develop over arrests of international nationals in China over spying charges. Earlier this month, one other British citizen was detained by Chinese authorities for allegedly spying for Britain’s international intelligence service, MI6.

Beijing has launched public campaigns to lift consciousness of international spying and inspired residents to report what they think about “suspicious activities”.

Recently the authorities have raided the places of work of three international corporations, two consultancies and one due diligence agency, rising issues amongst companies owned by international nationals.

Both the US and the UK have warned their residents concerning the danger of arrests in China underneath its nationwide safety legal guidelines.

“You may be detained without having intended to break the law,” the UK says in its international journey recommendation for the nation.

However, the UK has maintained its coverage of neither confirming nor denying claims associated to intelligence points.

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