• Wion
  • /World
  • /Second wave of COVID-19 can 'paralyse' China, warns British intelligence

Second wave of COVID-19 can 'paralyse' China, warns British intelligence

Second wave of COVID-19 can 'paralyse' China, warns British intelligence

Coronavirus in China

Britain’s intelligence community has reportedly warned China about the adverse consequences of lifting the country's lockdown.

The warning comes after China's northeast Heilongjiang province which borders Russia, has become the new hotspotof the virus.

Health authorities on Sunday reported the highest number of new daily cases in nearly six weeks, driven by infected travellers from overseas.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

UK's spy agencyMI6alerted China that a rise in imported cases could spark a second wave of COVID-19 and push the country back into a state of near paralysis.

A total of 108 new COVID-19 cases were reported in mainland China on Sunday, up from 99 a day earlier and marking the highest number of cases since 143 infections were reported on March 5.

Previously, MI6hadinformed Britishministers that China was significantly under-reporting the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in January and February, echoing similar briefings given by the CIA to the White House.

Meanwhile, Britain's domestic intelligence agency MI5 also saidthat it believes Birtainneeds to reassess its relationship withChinaafter the coronavirus crisis subsides and consider if tighter controls are needed over high-tech and other strategic industries.