MI6 to investigate British universities which allegedly supplied confidential information to China

London/Beijing: – British intelligence agency MI6 will be investigating leading British universities with connections with China’s ruling communist party. It is said that the investigation started with a suspicion that the leading British universities and the experts in them are supplying advanced technologies to China. A few days ago, the name of Manchester University had surfaced in a related matter. Since the last year, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has adopted an aggressive stand against China. The investigation started by the intelligence agency also seems to be a part of the same mindset.

Last year, Henry Jackson Society, a leading think tank in the United Kingdom, had published a report regarding the British universities. The report accused that experts and professors from the British universities are exporting advanced technology, violating the law. Civitas think tank had claimed that 14 British universities have links with the Chinese military’s undertakings. Civitas said that British technology and research is being used in the hypersonic missiles being developed by the Chinese army along with the Radar Jamming Systems, Robotics and stealth vehicles.

A matter related to Manchester University, a leading university in the United Kingdom, was also exposed in a similar manner. This university signed an agreement with the China Electronic Technology Corporation, which has direct links with the Chinese military. It has been exposed that this company is supplying technology for the surveillance being carried out on the Uyghur people. The concerned university cancelled the agreement after the British parliamentary committee sent a notice to the university.

Against this background, the inquiry initiated by the British intelligence agency becomes significant. Tom Tugendhat, Chief of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the British parliament, fired a salvo of criticism at the stand of the British universities. Tom Tugendhat reprimanded the British universities saying, ‘Some people working in the British universities have shelved their ethics. Instead of promoting the freedom of education, they are working to harm the United Kingdom’s military interests. The United Kingdom has made a mistake by giving additional freedom to the universities. The British universities are transferring confidential technology to an adversary country of the United Kingdom, to improve its military strength.’

It has been exposed in the past that the Chinese government has made attempts to get advanced technology and other sensitive and confidential information from US and Australian universities.