While I'm connected neither to UK academia nor to UK counter-intel - the article feels like a wall of blather, written by spies to dim to realize that China could spin up a hundred new front companies in the time it takes them to type "CGTRI". Let alone consider that on many sensitive topics, accepting Chinese research funding might be the least bad option still available to the "sun set long, long ago" British Empire.
Where it mattered, I'm guessing that Chinese intel is bright enough to "warm up" their fronts with a year or few of legit-looking activity.
And is there some reason for an operative courting western academics to mention more than the one or two fronts he's actively using? Blabbing that there's 100+ of 'em sounds like he's switch sides, and needs to be liquidated.
7 comments
[ 1.1 ms ] story [ 29.1 ms ] threadhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/30/mi5-issues-s...
And is there some reason for an operative courting western academics to mention more than the one or two fronts he's actively using? Blabbing that there's 100+ of 'em sounds like he's switch sides, and needs to be liquidated.