1 hr ago
UK Universities Urged to Cut China Research Institute Ties
The UK government has asked universities to stop working with a Chinese research institute.
MI5 says the institute has strong links to China’s Ministry of State Security.
It says Chinese intelligence secretly funded some projects involving UK-linked academics.
The projects included cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and hidden-message technology.
The British government says this research could help espionage and threaten national security.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis told university leaders to end their arrangements with the institute.
China’s embassy says the accusations are false.
It says cooperation between British and Chinese universities follows the law and benefits both sides.
Universities say international research is important but must be protected from hostile actors.
The UK government told universities to end arrangements with the China General Technology Research Institute.
MI5 said more than 100 UK-linked academics worked on projects secretly funded by Chinese intelligence through the institute.
The research reportedly covered cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, covert communications and steganography.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said such cooperation could breach the UK’s National Security Act.
China’s embassy rejected the allegations as fabricated and defended academic collaboration as lawful and mutually beneficial.
- Who
- The UK government, MI5, British universities, the China General Technology Research Institute and China’s embassy in the UK.
- What
- The UK government urged universities to end arrangements with the Chinese research institute over alleged intelligence and espionage links.
- Where
- The issue concerns research cooperation between universities in the United Kingdom and China.
- When
- The announcement was made on Wednesday; the article also refers to warnings issued over the past year and in June.
- Why
- MI5 says the institute may be helping Chinese intelligence obtain research and technical expertise for espionage.
UK Security Concerns
China’s Rejection
Nature of the institute
UK Security Concerns
MI5 says the institute has very strong ties to China’s Ministry of State Security and seeks research that improves the Chinese state’s technical espionage capacity.
China’s Rejection
China’s Embassy in the UK denies the accusations and calls them imaginary, purely fabricated and baseless.
Future university cooperation
UK Security Concerns
The UK government says universities should end arrangements with the institute, while Dan Jarvis warned that cooperation could breach the National Security Act.
China’s Rejection
China says exchanges and collaboration between UK and Chinese universities are voluntary, lawful and mutually beneficial.
International research
UK Security Concerns
The Russell Group says British research can be targeted by hostile actors and that universities must take national security responsibilities seriously.
China’s Rejection
The Chinese embassy says intelligence allegations are undermining educational exchanges and research cooperation between the two countries.
Key facts
- Institute named
- China General Technology Research Institute
- UK official
- Security Minister Dan Jarvis
- MI5 claim
- More than 100 UK-linked academics worked on projects secretly funded by Chinese intelligence through the institute.
- Research areas
- Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, covert communications systems and steganography.
- Legal concern
- The cooperation could breach the UK’s National Security Act, according to Dan Jarvis.
- China’s response
- China’s Embassy in the UK called the allegations imaginary, fabricated and baseless.
- University group
- The Russell Group represents 24 research-intensive British universities.
Quotes
Libby Hackett
Chief executive of the Russell Group of British universities
“The MI5 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.”
freepressjournal.in
“International collaboration remains a crucial part of the picture, but we know our world-leading research strengths can make the UK a target for hostile actors.”
freepressjournal.in
Chinese Embassy spokesperson
Spokesperson for China’s embassy in the UK
“Such exchanges and collaboration are mutually beneficial.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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