Richard Moore, who became Chief of the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, in October 2020, chose London’s International Institute of Strategic Studies for his maiden performance. As reported by the AP, Moore explained the confrontation between his spy service and “what I earlier called the ‘big four’ set of threats: China, Russia, Iran and international terrorism.” [https://www.sis.gov.uk/richard-moore-first-public-speech.html]
He said “China is an authoritarian state, with different values from ours,” and “The Chinese Intelligence Services are highly capable and continue to conduct large scale espionage operations against the U.K. and our allies.” And “We are concerned by the Chinese government’s attempt to distort public discourse and political decision making across the globe.” Perhaps worst, “Worryingly, these technologies of control and surveillance are increasingly being exported to other governments by China: expanding the web of authoritarian control around the planet.”
