MI5 Says China’s MSS Funded Research Involving 100+ U.K.-Linked Academics

MI5 links CGTRI research to MSS espionage

MI5 warned that more than 100 U.K.-linked academics contributed to research funded by China’s Ministry of State Security through the China General Technology Research Institute, also known as the China Academy of General Technology. In a Security Service Espionage Alert issued on September 30, 2026, MI5 said CGTRI’s primary purpose was to fund research that directly improves MSS technical capabilities for espionage. The agency assesses CGTRI to be a front for the MSS.

According to MI5, CGTRI funds academic research in China covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, covert communications systems and steganography. More than 100 U.K.-linked academics have taken part in projects financed by the MSS through CGTRI. In some cases, the researchers may not have known that the institute was providing monetary support for their work.

Universities urged to review collaborations

MI5 said the activity supports MSS espionage and poses a threat to U.K. national security. The agency urged U.K. academic institutions to immediately review ongoing or planned collaborations with CGTRI. Institutions are also advised to trace funding sources when working with Chinese research organizations to determine whether CGTRI is involved.

The alert cautioned that institutions, staff and researchers who continued collaborating could face prosecution under the National Security Act 2023 if they provided material assistance to a foreign intelligence service in carrying out U.K.-related activities.

Responding to the alert, the Chinese embassy in the U.K. called the accusations baseless and fabricated. It said it had made representations to the U.K. side and firmly opposed the allegations. The embassy said academic exchanges and research cooperation with China were voluntary, conducted in compliance with laws and regulations, and mutually beneficial. It urged U.K. intelligence authorities to stop spreading what it described as falsehoods.

UKCT raised earlier concerns

In August 2025, the U.K.-China Transparency think tank reported that Chinese students at U.K. universities were being forced to spy on classmates to suppress discussion of issues considered sensitive by the Chinese government. The Chinese embassy rejected that allegation as groundless and absurd.

UKCT also reported identifiable staffing overlaps between CGTRI and the University of International Relations, which it described as closely affiliated with the MSS. The think tank said CGTRI specializes in cybersecurity, signals intelligence and AI-enabled tools intended for strategic national objectives. It said these capabilities could support cyberattacks against U.K. companies, universities, public services and infrastructure. MI5 described its September 2026 warning as unprecedented.