UK must wake up to China threat, says ex-MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger

The UK indispensable "wake up" to the menace posed by China's challenges to planetary security, the ex-head of MI6 has said.

Sir Alex Younger, who led the UK's Intelligence Service betwixt 2014 and 2020, said Western nations are "under afloat property of Chinese espionage".

US subject person changeable down 4 objects - including a suspected Chinese spy balloon - successful the past week.

Sir Alex told the BBC the UK indispensable spot limits connected tolerating countries "who behave successful an unacceptable way",

On 4 February, the US subject changeable down a Chinese spy balloon aft it travelled implicit delicate subject sites crossed North America. China has claimed the entity was a upwind balloon gone astray.

Since then, the 3 different "unidentified objects" person been downed crossed North America.

Speaking connected BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Sir Alex said "this balloon script demonstrates determination is nary trust" betwixt China and occidental nations.

"This is simply a gross and truly visibly transgression of the sovereignty of galore nations."

The UK indispensable recognise "we're successful a competition" with China, Sir Alex said.

He said: "We request to aftermath up to this.

"We request to treble down connected the strengths that we person to look this systemic contention that's going on."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the authorities volition bash "whatever it takes" to support the UK harmless from spy balloons.

On Monday the premier curate said a "quick absorption alert force" of RAF Typhoon jets was connected stand-by 24/7 to constabulary UK airspace.