A key witness in the China spying case removed the term "enemy" from the final draft of a witness statement submitted to prosecutors, because it did not reflect government policy at the time.
In a letter to MPs, deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins said the word "enemy" was included in the draft witness statement written when the Conservatives were in power.
But he said he told police investigating the case he could not call China an "enemy" as this "did not reflect government policy".
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been accused by the Conservatives of allowing the case to collapse earlier this year by not describing China as a threat to national security.
The PM's official spokesperson said Collins' letter and evidence by others published today "underline the position the government has set out repeatedly".
