University asks staff to review some partnerships with China after MI5 warning

Queen's University of Belfast (QUB) has asked staff to review some partnerships with China after a warning from MI5.

In a highly unusual move, the UK's internal security service had warned universities they may have unintentionally assisted China's espionage.

MI5 said the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI) was a front company working for China's intelligence and security service.

However, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in London said the accusation was "imaginary and purely fabricated".

Staff at Queen's have now been "strongly advised to review any existing or proposed collaborations involving CGTRI".

"Work is ongoing within Queen's to do this," an email to staff said.

"However, this may not be obvious through our existing systems and so researchers are also advised to undertake appropriate due diligence to identify the ultimate source of funding for collaborations with Chinese institutions."

MI5 issued the alert for UK universities about CGTRI which it said had "very strong ties" to the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS).

Universities in the UK often collaborate and partner with universities elsewhere in the world to share research and expertise.

But MI5 said it had identified more than 100 UK-linked academics who had contributed to projects funded by Ministry of State Security via CGTRI.

It said that in some cases the researchers would not be aware of the front company's role in their project.

UK academics have contributed to CGTRI-funded projects on topics including AI, cyber-security, covert communications systems and steganography, which means hiding a secret message or file inside an ordinary message or object.

MI5 added that academics who failed to cut ties with CGTRI could ultimately face criminal charges for aiding a foreign state.

As a result, UK universities were advised to immediately review the funding of any research collaboration with China.

A QUB spokesperson told BBC News NI that the university takes "responsibilities around research and national security extremely seriously".

"Queen's University has commenced a review around any existing or proposed collaborations involving CGTRI," they said.

"We have also contacted staff requesting they review any existing or proposed collaborations with them and report any concerns to the relevant Faculty Dean of Research.

"We will keep this situation under review while continuing to support our collaboration, research and innovation projects locally, nationally and internationally."

According to its website, QUB has invested over $10m (£7.56m) in China-related research in areas like sustainable energy, information technology, food security and cancer research over the past decade.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Ulster University said they had no research links with the organisation referenced by MI5.