British and Chinese security officials have established a new dialogue mechanism to communicate on issues related to cyberattacks, multiple people familiar with the matter said, in the latest attempt to tighten bilateral ties amid a series of hacking accusations. London and Beijing have reached a consensus to establish a so-called "Cyber Dialogue" (Cyber Dialogue), involving security officials from both sides, with the goal of controlling cyber threats facing each other's national security. This arrangement has not yet been made public.
People familiar with the matter said the mechanism is intended to improve communication channels so that both sides can discuss deterrence measures in private and help prevent escalation in the event of a cyber incident. Different from previous scattered and ad hoc communications, the newly established dialogue mechanism provides a single window for the UK and China to negotiate on cyber incidents at a high-level for the first time. In the past, it was often difficult to establish communication channels.
This move comes at a sensitive moment in UK-China relations: the British government is about to make a decision on China’s application for a new large-scale embassy project in London, with a deadline of January 20. Since then, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to go to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of this month, and bilateral interactions have entered a critical stage.
The British government declined to comment on specific security arrangements, citing national security concerns. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference in Beijing that he was not aware of the relevant situation.
Since Labor came to power 18 months ago, London has been seeking to "thaw" relations with China, but this effort has been hampered by British accusations that China has launched nearly "normal" cyber offensives. The United Kingdom has repeatedly claimed that China is trying to penetrate and destroy its critical infrastructure and government systems. The COVID-19 epidemic and China's support for Russia in the war in Ukraine have already put diplomatic relations between the two sides under pressure.
People familiar with the matter believe that this dialogue mechanism may be the first high-level communication platform between China and any country specifically focused on cyber attack issues, and is regarded as an important step in improving bilateral relations. Bloomberg has previously reported that British officials believe Chinese hackers have invaded confidential British government systems for more than a decade, noting that Chinese state-backed cyber actors have penetrated critical infrastructure to a far greater extent than publicly recognized.
Although the newly established dialogue mechanism is unlikely to fundamentally prevent related network activities, people familiar with the matter said that it at least creates a channel for both parties to reduce the risk of miscalculation before the crisis breaks out or during the escalation process. In November last year, Chinese foreign affairs chief Wang Yi and British national security adviser Jonathan Powell met in Beijing. Although the statement issued by China after the meeting did not mention cyber issues, it stated that the two sides agreed to "face up to and resolve the problem" and "further strengthen routine dialogue."