LONDON

The UK on Monday accused China of launching cyberattacks on the Electoral Commission and parliamentarians between 2021 and 2022.

"It is completely unacceptable that China state-affiliated organizations and individuals have targeted our democratic institutions and political processes," Foreign Minister David Cameron said on X.

"I raised this directly with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and we have today sanctioned two individuals and one entity involved with the China state-affiliated group responsible for targeting our parliamentarians," he added.

The British government said it has assessed that the UK Electoral Commission systems were highly likely compromised by a Chinese state-affiliated entity between 2021 and 2022.

"It is almost certain that the China state-affiliated Advanced Persistent Threat Group 31 (APT31) conducted reconnaissance activity against UK parliamentarians during a separate campaign in 2021. The majority of those targeted were prominent in calling out the malign activity of China. No parliamentary accounts were successfully compromised," it said in a statement.

It marks the latest instance in a discernible pattern of malicious cyberactivity by Chinese state-affiliated organizations and individuals targeting democratic institutions and parliamentarians not only in the UK but also beyond.

The British Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador to the UK and sanctioned a front company and two individuals who are members of APT31.

In response, the Chinese Embassy in the UK issued a statement.

"The UK fabricates facts, hypes up the so-called China threat, and makes irresponsible remarks on China's internal affairs. We firmly oppose this.

"China is committed to an independent foreign policy of peace and follows the path of peaceful development...In stark contrast, in following the footsteps of the US, the UK persistently sows discord and instigates trouble in the Asia-Pacific, which is the real source of challenges and disruptions to peace and stability in the region," it added.

"Issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang are China's internal affairs, which brook no external interference.

"We urge the UK side to stop inciting confrontation and rivalry, stop smearing China and interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop creating obstacles for the development of China-UK relations," it said.