MI5 China alert will send chill through UK’s cash-strapped universities

Institutions have for years turned to China for funding opportunities but national security concerns are mounting

• MI5 issues spy alert to UK universities over Chinese front company stealing research

The security alert issued by MI5 regarding a Chinese state-owned conglomerate accused of conducting espionage in the UK reveals the extent to which British intelligence remains concerned about Beijing’s influence, and risks casting a shadow over UK-China cooperation at a time when the bilateral relationship is enjoying a revival.

The UK’s domestic security service on Wednesday warned researchers and academics to cease work with the China Academy of General Technology (CAGT), an organisation MI5 described as a “significant threat”.