PoliticsMI5 China alert will send chill through UK’s cash-strapped universities

MI5 has told UK researchers and academics to stop working with the China Academy of General Technology, which it calls a “significant threat”. The Chinese state-owned group is accused of using a front company to pay UK academics for sensitive AI, cybersecurity and steganography research that allegedly improves China’s intelligence capabilities. The warning heightens concern over the security risks of university funding and cooperation with China.

MI5Chinaacademic espionageUK universities

TThe Guardian★★★★☆2026-09-30 13:07Original