Trump-Xi Meeting: Sticking Points for Trade Deal Discussion

British politicians voted down the release of the so-called China spy files, files related to a now collapsed spy case. The government said it's in the UK's national interest to protect the files, but the Conservative opposition accuses the Labor government of putting Chinese money first. ENT's international correspondent Malcolm Hudson has more. Labour Party politicians voted down a motion to release the so-called China spy files. Files related to the trial of two alleged spies, which collapsed shortly after the government's national security adviser discussed how the case could affect Britain's relationship with China. During a debate, opposition Home Secretary Chris Phelp asked why the government didn't provide the necessary evidence to see the case through. Is it because they're more interested in getting some sort of economic bailout from the Chinese to fix the mess they have created than they are in our national security? Christopher Cash and Christopher Bry were both accused of passing sensitive intelligence from Parliament to the Chinese regime. The two deny any wrongdoing. The Crown Prosecution Service said it did not have enough evidence to secure a conviction leading to the case being dropped. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the government opposes the motion to release the China spy files, >> which would not only see the release of information subject to legal professional privilege, but would also see the release of information vital to the security of the United Kingdom, including advice to the prime minister. >> On Monday, key figures related to the case were called into a parliamentary committee. The case's star witness, Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Collins, said he sought to ensure his witness statement could support a successful prosecution. >> I was uh somewhat surprised when I was told on the 3rd of September that the intention was to drop the case. >> Collins said he declined to say that China posed quote a threat to national security, saying this did not reflect the policy of the then conservative government. But he said he had been very clear that he would say that China poses a series of threats to the UK's national security. >> I was able to say that these include espionage threats, cyber threats, threats to our democratic institutions, threats to our economic security. I would be able to say that these threats are very real and persistent and that operational partners are dealing with them on a daily basis. Chief prosecutor Steven Parkinson said the evidence was not strong enough to take the trial. >> We were not able to provide the evidence to sustain the case in respect of one essential element which was the element that um China was an enemy as was required um by the statute. >> He said no reasonable jury could have been properly directed to conclude China was a threat. Senior Labour Party politician and former lawyer Emily Thornberry challenged Parkinson. She said a previous case involving a group of Bulgarian nationals spying for Russia meant the term enemy should be approached in a common sense way. >> They were specifically saying we are not saying what the definition of enemy was. So you should have just gone ahead and prosecuted it. >> The committee will continue hearings on Wednesday. Malcolm Hudson, NTD News, UK.