China spying links to UK universities exposed in major MI5 warning – what it means

MI5 is warning British universities to sever funding links with a Beijing-based company which it says has very strong ties to China’s Ministry of State Security. The rare warning is the first time the domestic spy agency has independently published an alert publicly, and its first alert since a joint bulletin by the UK and its intelligence allies in June. The agency warns that British universities are the targets of Chinese espionage designed to boost its military. Shorts MI5 says more than 100 UK-linked academics have contributed to Beijing-funded projects via the company, called China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI). This includes work involving AI, cyber security, covert communications and steganography, the practice of hiding a secret message, file or image inside another ordinary, non-secret file or physical object to avoid detection. Some academics may not have known the ultimate source of the funding. “This alert exposes attempts by Chinese intelligence to covertly benefit from the expertise and research of our academics, undermining our national security and that of our allies,” security minister Dan Jarvis said. “I have written to all university vice chancellors to ensure they support their staff to end all arrangements with this company, preventing further benefit to the Chinese intelligence services and ensuring compliance with the National Security Act,” he added. Frustration at universities’ ‘naivety’ The fresh warning came amid frustration from the intelligence community that university vice chancellors are not taking the threat from hostile foreign states seriously enough. Sources said some vice chancellors had demonstrated naivety in their research partnerships amid complaints that government security requirements interrupt their funding streams. Earlier this year, the government launched a new “academic interference reporting route” allowing universities to send their concerns about foreign influence straight to UK intelligence agencies. It is up to vice chancellors to pass on their suspicions, with complaints then assessed based on their severity. In February, Sir Ken McCallum, MI5’s director general, told 70 universities that hostile states are using sophisticated methods to target academics and “shape research and teaching content”, including the use of professional networking sites and financial bungs to cultivate relationships with academic staff and students. The National Security Act, which came into force in 2023, created new offences for covert influence, espionage and undeclared collaboration with foreign-linked entities. It also expanded powers to investigate and restrict activities that could enable foreign states to improperly access sensitive research or technology. The i Paper reported earlier this year how Chinese students at British universities are being offered cash rewards for political loyalty to Beijing, including attending events organised by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).