The U.K. government has accused Chinese authorities of spying on vital elements of the British economy.
British MI5 chief Jonathan Evans has written confidentially to 300 chief executives of major companies and security chiefs of banks warning them of Chinese state involvement.
It is believed to be the first time that the government had ever directly accused China of web-based espionage.
Mr Evans wrote to business leaders warning of an electronic espionage attack¯.
The summary of the letter on the website of the Centre for the Protection of the National Infrastructure, says: "The contents of the letter highlight the following: the Director-General's concerns about the possible damage to UK business resulting from electronic attack sponsored by Chinese state organisations, and the fact that the attacks are designed to defeat best-practice IT security systems."
It adds: "The letter acknowledges the strong economic and commercial reasons to do business with China, but the need to ensure management of the risks involved." ¯ Access to the site is limited to representatives of companies that form part of the key national infrastructure, which includes telecoms, banks, water and electricity.
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