China reportedly hacked mobile phones of aides of several British premiers

China allegedly hacked the mobile phones of aides to several UK prime ministers, British media outlet The Telegraph claimed in a report.

The allegations by the news outlet come as incumbent British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly visiting China this week, which would be the first such trip since 2018.

The report, published on Monday, claimed that the mobile phones of senior officials in Downing Street were compromised by Chinese state-sponsored hackers over several years.

The operation, allegedly codenamed Salt Typhoon, targeted aides close to former prime ministers, including Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak, between 2021 and 2024.

While it remains unclear whether the prime ministers' personal devices were affected, the report said the breach reached "right into the heart of Downing Street."

The British spy agency MI5 reportedly issued an espionage alert to parliament last November, warning of Chinese spying threats.

There has been no immediate reaction from China to The Telegraph's claims.

Last month, the UK government sanctioned two tech companies based in China for "reckless and indiscriminate cyberattacks" against "the UK and its allies."

Beijing blasted the decision, expressing "strong dissatisfaction," and Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China "firmly opposes and cracks down on hacking activities in accordance with the law, and at the same time, resolutely opposes the dissemination of false information for political purposes."