MI5 has warned universities to stop working with China on key technologies or face prosecution for helping Beijing's spies.
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MI5 → warn → spies
In an unprecedented espionage alert, the Security Service has called out 100 British academics taking funding from China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) for research on sensitive topics like artificial intelligence.
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Service → call → intelligence
The stark warning, which is the first official alert made public by MI5, reveals Beijing's spies have secretly been funding studies at British universities in key areas like cyber-security and covert communications systems, in order to hone their 'technical capability for espionage'.
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spies → make → espionage
Academics sharing data with China on research areas like steganography, which is the practice of hiding a secret message in a file or physical object to avoid detection, are risking national security, MI5 believes.
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MI5 → share → security
Now universities are being instructed to sever ties or academics could face possible charges for assisting a foreign intelligence service, which carries a possible 14-year sentence.
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which → instruct → sentence
It comes after spy chief Sir Ken McCallum told a select group of 70 universities in February that hostile states were using sophisticated methods to target academics and 'shape research and teaching content'.
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states → come → content
MI5 hauled UK vice-chancellors into a briefing, but it seems that researchers have continued to collaborate in exchange for funding from China.
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researchers → haul → China
Some of Britain's top universities have research agreements with Beijing.
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Some → have → Beijing
MI5 has warned universities to stop working with China on key technologies or face prosecution for helping Beijing's spies.
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MI5 → warn → spies
Universities including Oxford and Cambridge are on a list of UK institutions that have partnerships with China's top defence universities.
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that → include → universities
MI5 has identified that the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI), sometimes translated as China Academy of General Technology (CAGT), is being used as a vehicle to fund research for Beijing's intelligence service, the Chinese MSS.
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Institute → identify → service
More than 100 UK-linked academics have contributed to projects funded via CGTRI.
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academics → link → CGTRI
In some cases, academics may not realise that their work is being funded indirectly by the CGTRI, and in other cases academic institutions will have engaged with CGTRI in 'good faith' not knowing the link to the MSS.
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institutions → realise → MSS
Now the Security Minister has demanded universities ditch those agreements and stop passing on sensitive information about cutting-edge AI technology.
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universities → demand → technology
Dan Jarvis said: '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.
'
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alert → say → allies
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.
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staff → write → Act
'International partnerships are vital to ensure our universities and research institutes continue to thrive, but we will take robust action to defend against the threats we face.
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we → ensure → threats
That means supporting our police and intelligence services to expose and disrupt harmful activity, using the full force of the law.'
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That → mean → law
The alert says: 'MI5 has identified that the primary purpose of CGTRI is to fund academic research that directly improves MSS technical capability for espionage.
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that → say → espionage
This activity supports MSS espionage, which poses a threat to UK national security.'
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which → support → security
MI5 is advising academic institutions to 'immediately review any ongoing or planned collaboration with CGTRI,' adding 'Further, academics are advised to establish the ultimate funding source when conducting any research collaboration with Chinese institutions, to ensure CGTRI is not involved.'
Academic institutions, staff and researchers could face prosecution under the National Security Act 2023, for assisting a foreign intelligence service or obtaining a material benefit from a hostile state.
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institutions → advise → state
It concludes by warning: 'Any institution or individual continuing to conduct research ultimately funded by CGTRI following publication of this espionage alert should take their own independent legal advice, in particular (but not limited to) in relation to the offences under sections 3 and 17 of the National Security Act.'
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institution → conclude → Act
The Aporia
