MI5 has warned that Chinese spies targeted more than 100 UK-linked academics in a bid to obtain James Bond-style spy technology. The researchers received funding from an organisation that the British security service says is a front for Beijing's intelligence agency.
Their work included artificial intelligence, cyber security, top-secret communications and even hiding data inside pictures. MI5 says the China General Technology Research Institute, also known as CGTRI, funded projects that could directly boost China's spying capabilities.
Funding linked to Chinese intelligence
The British security service also believes sensitive British information was passed back to Beijing. However, many of the academics were unaware of who was really behind the cash.
Universities and researchers have now been told to immediately cut ties with the organisation.
Cases uncovered by MI5
In one case uncovered by MI5, Chinese intelligence officers are understood to have posed as researchers at a British university to make it easier to obtain valuable material. In another, Beijing allegedly gained access to cutting-edge British work on scraping useful information from social media.
The Bond-style projects also included “steganography”, a technique used to hide secret information inside apparently innocent pictures.
Warning over national security laws
MI5 said: “The primary purpose of CGTRI is to fund academic research that directly improves MSS technical capability for espionage.” The MSS is China's Ministry of State Security, its civilian intelligence agency.
MI5 warned universities that continuing to work with the organisation could land academics in trouble under national security laws. Researchers have also been urged to check where cash for projects with Chinese institutions ultimately comes from.
MI5 said many universities and academics had previously dealt with CGTRI “in good faith” because its alleged links to Beijing's spooks had been hidden.
