UK Issues Spy Alert Over Chinese Research Institute
MI5 issued an espionage alert on Wednesday. It said China's intelligence service used a front company.
That company paid grants to British universities. The goal was to steal important research on technology projects.
MI5 named the China General Technology Research Institute as the front. It said the institute has "very strong ties" to Chinese intelligence.
The British government told UK universities to stop working with the institute. MI5 also told academics to stop taking its grants.
More than 100 UK-linked academics worked on institute-funded projects. These included artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, covert communications and steganography.
MI5 warned that continued work with the institute could break the law. This is under the National Security Act 2023.
Some academics may have joined projects without knowing the institute's spy links. Universities UK said schools take research security seriously.
It also said working with other countries remains valuable. UK universities have sought funding from China for years.
Key Terms 5
- MI5 UK's domestic intelligence agency that finds spies and threats.
- espionage Spying to secretly steal information or secrets.
- steganography Hiding secret messages inside other files or data.
- National Security Act 2023 UK law against spying and foreign interference.
- Universities UK A group that represents UK universities' shared interests.