China warned Foreign Office over new rules

enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs), which was introduced in July and came fully into force this month.

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Firs requires anyone in the UK acting for a foreign power or entity to declare their activities to the government or face criminal sanctions. The enhanced tier covers countries and entities deemed a particular risk and requires extra disclosures. As a result, anyone doing undeclared work on behalf of Iran or Russia faces five years in prison.

The Guardian reported in the spring that instead of targeting China as a whole, ministers were considering including specific parts of the Chinese political system that have been accused of interference in the west on the enhanced tier.

Such entities include China's ministry of state security, which is its intelligence service; the Chinese Communist party (CCP); the united front work department, often referred to as the international arm of the CCP, and the People's Liberation Army, which is China's military.

The government insists that countries' designations in Firs are kept under review. The Foreign Office was contacted for comment.

Ministers are under pressure over the consequences of their rapprochement with Beijing and are facing questions about the collapse of a trial of two Britons, including a former parliamentary researcher, who were accused of spying for China.