Foreign Office summons senior Chinese diplomat over ‘malicious cyber activity’

The UK has accused Beijing-backed hackers of a cyber-attack on the British elections watchdog and a surveillance operation on politicians. Photograph: solarseven/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Ministers summoned a senior Chinese diplomat to the Foreign Office on Tuesday after accusing Beijing-backed hackers of a cyber-attack on the British elections watchdog and a surveillance operation on politicians.

The department called in China’s chargé d’affaires and told him the UK would not tolerate “threatening” cyber-attacks.