MI5 issued a security alert on Wednesday warning researchers and academics to stop working with the China Academy of General Technology (CAGT), a state‑owned conglomerate it calls a “significant threat.” The alert follows a 2023 Intelligence and Security Committee report that highlighted the risk of Chinese influence in UK universities.
CAGT, also known as the China General Technology Research Institute, is accused of paying UK academics working in fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and steganography to produce research that directly enhances the capabilities of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS). MI5 said more than 100 academics linked to the UK had contributed to MSS‑funded projects through the front company. The agency described China’s intelligence approach as “hoovering up vast amounts of data, often from unsuspecting individuals who believe they are participating in normal research or consultancy work.”
The UK has long relied on Chinese funding and collaboration for its higher‑education sector. In May, China’s education ministry approved 219 new transnational education partnerships, with more than a fifth involving British universities. Chinese students are the largest group of non‑EU international students in the UK, generating around £600 million a year. The alert is likely to chill these ties, as it reminds institutions of the 2023 National Security Act, which makes it an offence to materially assist a foreign intelligence agency.
Experts say the government needs clearer guidance on which research areas pose dual‑use risks. Sam Goodman of the China Strategic Risks Institute noted that UK academics are “between a rock and a hard place” when navigating advanced fields that could interest Chinese intelligence. Charles Parton of the Royal United Services Institute argued that authorities should define which technologies can be cooperated with China and which cannot, rather than merely issuing warnings.
While collaboration with Chinese educational institutions is not inherently dangerous, the MI5 alert underscores the growing unease among UK scholars working in sensitive domains, as the country balances the benefits of international partnership against national security concerns.
