China’s fifth-ranking official was suspect in dropped Westminster spy case

Person who was thought to have received intelligence is understood to be Cai Qi, de facto chief of staff to Xi Jinping

British prosecutors suspected that China's fifth most senior official was in receipt of intelligence from Westminster in a controversial and now-abandoned espionage case, the Guardian understands.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in April 2024 that a senior member of the Chinese Communist party and a politburo member" had received politically sensitive information" from two British researchers who were charged with spying for China.