Brit unis could be helping China build superweapons ‘after accepting £240m from institutions linked to drones & rockets’
BRITISH unis including Oxford and Cambridge could be unknowingly helping China to build superweapons after accepting £240million from companies linked to the dictatorship, it's reported.
A number of the institutions that have forked out cash to the universities have ties to China's military - sparking fears that joint research could be helping Beijing build a deadly arsenal.
The investigation by found that there have been more than 1,000 research collaborations between the UK and Chinese institutes.
Collaborations have touched technology including that used in rail guns, drones, fighter jets, missiles and other military tech.
Top academics have also worked with their Chinese counterparts on sensitive 'dual use' research, the paper claims.
Such tech can be used for both civilian and military purposes.
A whopping £40m came from Chinese telecomms giant Huawei.
The company's contract to roll out 5G in the UK was suspended over security concerns.
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The uni to have benefitted the most was Imperial College London, which received £54.5m, it's claimed.
Of that, £5m reportedly came from three companies linked to the Chinese military. Two are subsidiaries of a defence contractor that manufactures fighter jets for the country's air force.
Cambridge was handed £46.1m, Oxford got £24m, the University of Manchester palmed £19.7m and the University of Edinburgh received £13.9m.
Brit security chiefs have warned of China for years. MI5 chief Ken McCallum says the country poses a greater threat than Russia.
Just last year, specialists at the Foreign Office, Special Branch and HMRC were said to be investigating academics suspected of passing sensitive information to China.
Diplomatic ties are already tense over China's human rights abuses, including the genocide of Uighur Muslims.
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Unis and academics have been warned to vet their collaborators and ensure research doesn't have implications for national security.
A spokesperson for the Russell Group, which represents 24 of the UK's leading universities, said research institutions take issues relating to national security "extremely seriously".
Robust checks are carried out before new international research partnerships are formed, the official said.
An Imperial spokesperson said: "These projects are fundamental scientific research, carried out with partners and collaborators around the world and research findings are shared openly.
"All partnerships and collaborations at Imperial undergo thorough scrutiny and are regularly reviewed, working closely and regularly with the appropriate Government departments, with our commitments to UK national security given the utmost importance."
A University of Manchester spokesman said academics carry out checks in line with Government guidance and give "careful consideration" to collaborations.
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Cambridge says it has a webpage breaking down its Chinese funding sources.
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Oxford referred back to the Russell Group statement.
The University of Edinburgh has not yet replied to requests for comment.
