China said it "resolutely opposes" allegations that an espionage suspect arrested in the United Kingdom was gathering information for Beijing.

"The so-called claim that China is conducting espionage activities against the UK is pure fabrication," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news conference.

"China resolutely opposes this."

UK police said at the weekend they had arrested a man in his twenties at his home in Edinburgh for spying, with the Sunday Times reporting he was a researcher in Britain's parliament.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service arrested him in March, along with another man in his thirties, on suspicion of offences under the Official Secrets Act and both have been bailed until October.

Mao said: "We urge the UK to stop spreading disinformation and stop its anti-China political manipulation and malicious slander."