// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
University asks staff to review some partnerships with China after MI5 warning
Staff at QUB have been "strongly advised to review any existing or proposed collaborations involving CGTRI"
Queen's University of Belfast (QUB) has asked staff to review some partnerships with China after a warning from MI5.
In a highly unusual move, the UK's internal security service had warned universities they may have unintentionally assisted China's espionage.
MI5 said the China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI) was a front company working for China's intelligence and security service.
However, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in London said the accusation was "imaginary and purely fabricated".
Staff at Queen's have now been "strongly advised to review any existing or proposed collaborations involving CGTRI".
"Work is ongoing within Queen's to do this," an email to staff said.
"However, this may not be obvious through our existing systems and so researchers are also advised to undertake appropriate due diligence to identify the ultimate source of funding for collaborations with Chinese institutions."
MI5 issued the alert for UK universities about CGTRI which it said had "very strong ties" to the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS).
Universities in the UK often collaborate and partner with universities elsewhere in the world to share research and expertise.