MI5, Britain's domestic security service, has issued a rare public warning to UK universities naming a specific Chinese organization it says is used by China's intelligence service to acquire technology secrets through academic research partnerships.
The security service identified the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI), also known as the China Academy of General Technology (CAGT), as a front company paying for research by UK academics. MI5 instructed researchers and academics to cease all work with the organization.
MI5 stated that the entity is backed by Chinese intelligence and is being used to steal secrets from high-tech projects conducted at British universities.
The warning targets cash-strapped UK academic institutions that have received funding from the organization. The public nature of MI5's alert is unusual for the security service, suggesting the perceived scale or urgency of the threat to British research institutions and technology sectors.
The Guardian reported the alert on September 30, 2026.