MI5 asks British universities to end collaborations with a Chinese institute accused of supporting Beijing’s espionage capabilities

Britain’s domestic intelligence service MI5 on Wednesday urged universities across the United Kingdom to urgently reassess their collaborations with the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI), which is accused of having close ties to China’s Ministry of State Security. MI5 considers the institute a threat to British national security.

In an espionage alert published online, MI5 said CGTRI’s main mission was to fund university research intended to directly strengthen the technical espionage capabilities of China’s civilian intelligence service. According to the British agency, more than 100 researchers affiliated with universities in the United Kingdom have contributed to programmes funded by the Chinese institute.

MI5 warned that failure to follow the recommendations could have criminal consequences under national security legislation. The alert comes after several British warnings concerning Chinese espionage and interference. In November 2025, British lawmakers were warned about espionage attempts, while in June 2026, the Five Eyes alliance accused Chinese spies of targeting recruitment websites with job postings for civil servants, military personnel and people with access to classified information. London is seeking to improve relations with Beijing but continues to regard China as a national security threat.