UK's Sunak chides China after report a UK parliament staffer is suspected Beijing spy

A woman holds a balloon featuring a Union Jack flag near the Houses of Parliament during a sunny day in London, Sept 4, 2023. [AP Photo]

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chastised China's premier on Sunday for "unacceptable" interference in British democracy, after a newspaper reported that a researcher in parliament was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of spying for Beijing.

Sunak said he raised the issue with Premier Li Qiang when the two met at a Group of 20 summit in India. He told British broadcasters in New Delhi that he'd expressed "my very strong concerns about any interference in our parliamentary democracy, which is obviously unacceptable."