China accuses MI6 chief of pushing 'fake news' after its 'debt trap' remark

The Chinese embassy in the UK accused Richard Moore of "peddling fake news" after the MI6 chief claimed Beijing targets poor countries with "debt" and "data" traps

The Chinese embassy in the UK has targetted the head of Britain's secret intelligence service, accusing Richard Moore of "peddling fake news" after the MI6 chief claimed Beijing targets poor countries with "debt" and "data" traps, a media report said.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK dismissed allegations levied against Beijing that China actively seeks to snare poorer nations in "debt traps" and steals valuable strategic data from these countries, Russia Today quoted Beijing's embassy as saying in a statement.

Claiming that the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) chief Richard Moore, who made the comments, was guilty of "peddling fake news and false intelligence" about China, the embassy in a statement attributed to a spokesperson said: "The truth is there is not a single country that has fallen into the so-called 'debt trap' as a result of borrowing from China."

China neither seeks to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, "nor does it impose its own will on others or seek any political benefits," the statement added.

Urging Britain to correct its mistakes, the embassy asked the UK to "cease its unfounded attacks against China".