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Thursday, 1 October 2026dailybeirut.com
World
British intelligence agency MI5 has urged academic institutions to cease collaboration with a Chinese research institute, alleging it funds espionage capabilities.
The United Kingdom’s domestic security service, MI5, issued a rare warning on Wednesday directing university bodies to stop cooperating with a specific Chinese technology institute. The agency alerted these institutions that the entity finances research aimed at bolstering Beijing’s espionage capacities.
MI5 stated it had identified "very strong links" between the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI) and China’s Ministry of State Security. Consequently, the British agency urged academic institutions in the United Kingdom to immediately reconsider any existing or planned collaborations with the institute. It also advised them to seek legal counsel regarding these partnerships.
According to MI5, more than 100 researchers affiliated with British institutions have contributed to projects funded by the Chinese ministry through CGTRI. The agency specified that the primary objective of the Chinese institute is to support research that enhances Beijing’s technical capabilities in the field of espionage.
UK-based researchers participated in projects financed by the institute across several sensitive domains. These areas include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, secret communication systems, and the concealment of encrypted data within files or images that appear normal.
MI5 emphasized that these activities constitute a threat to British national security. The agency warned that any further cooperation with the Chinese institution following this alert could violate national security laws, even if the researchers involved acted in good faith.
In response, the Chinese Embassy in London rejected the allegations, describing them as entirely imaginary and fabricated by MI5. A spokesperson for the embassy told AFP that an official protest had been lodged with the British side.
This development follows a previous warning from MI5 last November, which alleged that China was using disguised spies to recruit members of Parliament. The Chinese Embassy in London had also denied those earlier accusations.
