Beijing Confirms 2022 Conviction of UK Businessman on Espionage Charges

BEIJING—Beijing confirmed Friday that a longtime British businessman in China was sentenced to five years in prison in 2022 on an espionage charge. Ian J. Stones was convicted of being bought off to provide intelligence to “external forces,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said when asked about the case at a daily briefing. He did not provide any specific details about the charges. Both the UK and U.S. governments have warned about the risk of detention under China’s national security laws. A Japanese pharmaceutical company employee was detained last year on suspicion of spying. A new version of the law that took effect July 1, 2023, has heightened concerns about operating in China....