The U.K.’s domestic intelligence and security agency has issued a warning regarding the involvement of more than 100 academics in aiding China’s intelligence gathering efforts for the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS).
According to a recent “Security Service Espionage Alert” released by MI5 on September 30, 2026, the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI) is identified as a key player in funding research projects that enhance MSS’s technical capabilities for espionage.
CGTRI, also known as the China Academy of General Technology (CAGT), is suspected of being a front organization for MSS, providing funding for research in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, covert communications systems, and steganography.
The alert highlighted that over 100 U.K.-linked academics have unknowingly contributed to research projects funded by MSS through CGTRI, emphasizing the potential threat to U.K. national security posed by MSS espionage activities.
Academic institutions in the U.K. are being urged to review their collaborations with CGTRI to ensure compliance with national security regulations, with a caution that failure to do so could lead to legal repercussions under the National Security Act 2023.
In response to the alert, the Chinese embassy in the U.K. dismissed the allegations as baseless and called for an end to the spread of falsehoods that could harm educational exchanges and research cooperation between the two countries.
Recent reports have also shed light on Chinese students at U.K. universities being coerced into spying on their peers, further raising concerns about China’s influence on academic institutions and freedom of speech.
CGTRI’s ties to China’s Ministry of State Security have been underscored, with a focus on cybersecurity and AI tools that align with Chinese government objectives, including cyber-attacks on U.K. targets.
