MI5 today told British universities to review any collaboration with a Chinese research body it says funds academic work for Beijing’s intelligence service, warning that institutions and researchers who carry on could face prosecution.

The Security Service said more than 100 UK-linked academics had contributed to projects funded via the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI), which is sometimes translated as the China Academy of General Technology (CAGT).

MI5 has identified CGTRI as a vehicle used to fund research for China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), the country’s intelligence service. It is the first official espionage alert that MI5 has made public.

What 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,” the alert says.

It lists CGTRI-funded projects on topics including artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, covert communications systems and steganography, the practice of hiding a secret message in a file or physical object to avoid detection.

“This activity supports MSS espionage, which poses a threat to UK national security,” the alert says.

MI5 said that in some cases academics may not realise their work is being funded indirectly by CGTRI, and that some institutions will have engaged with the body in “good faith” without knowing of its link to the MSS.

The Security Service is advising academic institutions to “immediately review any ongoing or planned collaboration with CGTRI”. It adds: “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.

The offence of assisting a foreign intelligence service carries a maximum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment, a fine or both on conviction on indictment, according to the text of the legislation.

The alert concludes: “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.”

Section 17 of the National Security Act 2023 covers obtaining material benefits from a foreign intelligence service.

Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said he had written to all university vice-chancellors about the alert.

“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,” he said.

“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.

“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. That means supporting our police and intelligence services to expose and disrupt harmful activity, using the full force of the law.”

The alert follows a briefing in February at which the spy chief Sir Ken McCallum told a select group of 70 universities that hostile states were using sophisticated methods to target academics and “shape research and teaching content”. MI5 also briefed UK vice-chancellors.

Academic links with Chinese state-backed organisations have come under scrutiny before. In 2022, Business Matters reported that Imperial College London was closing two research centres sponsored by Chinese aerospace and defence companies after two export licence applications were rejected.

Ministers have also previously weighed security responses to China against trade relations. In 2024, the then education secretary Gillian Keegan said the government needed to balance sanctions over China-linked cyberattacks against the risk of triggering trade disputes.

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