MI 5 has issued a formal warning to UK universities about Chinese funding linked to the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI), also known as CAGT in some translations. The agency states that CGTRI exists largely to fund academic research that directly enhances the MSS’s technical capabilities for espionage. More than 100 UK-linked academics have contributed to projects funded by MSS via CGTRI, with some researchers possibly unaware that CGTRI was behind the funding.
The topics funded span artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, covert communications systems, and steganography, which MI5 describes as capability-building work for a foreign intelligence service.
The warning urges institutions to review current and planned collaborations with CGTRI and to trace ultimate funding sources to ensure CGTRI is not involved. It also flags potential legal risk under the National Security Act 2023, particularly sections on assisting a foreign intelligence service and obtaining material benefit from one. MI5 notes that the act can apply when actions are likely to materially help a foreign intelligence service, even if there is no certainty of intent.
Beijing has rejected the allegations as fabricated, while independent research and a UK-China Transparency think tank have pointed to connections between CGTRI and MSS-linked entities. The report emphasises the need for universities to scrutinise funding chains and research links, rather than assuming current collaborations are risk-free.