Many British Academics have come under scrutiny for sharing classified information with Chinese companies
According to a report published in London based daily – The Times, the Government of United Kingdom (U.K.) is investigating 200 British academics across 12 Universities on suspicion of unknowingly helping the Chinese Government build weapons of mass destruction.
They are suspected of violating strict export laws intended to prevent intellectual property in highly sensitive subjects. The institutions, which include some of the most prestigious universities in the country, could be hit by ‘enforcement notices’ imposed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs over alleged breaches of export controls in their dealings with China.
If found in breach of Export Control Order 2008, the academics could face 10 years of sentence in prison. The Export Control Order 2008 is the main Statutory Instrument secondary legislation, which controls the exports of military and dual-use goods.
The Export Control Order 2008 consolidates and updates previous legislation in one legal document and provides details of how the legislation will be applied. It covers export of strategic goods, transfer of technology and the provision of technical assistance, trade of military equipment between overseas countries where any part of the activity takes place in the U.K. and trade controls with destinations where an arms embargo has been imposed by the UK following European Union (E.U.) or Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe regulations or declarations
The British security services are concerned that the research could help China develop weapons of mass destruction and be used in the repression of political dissidents and minorities including the Uyghurs.
Speaking on the occasion, a Government Spokesman said, “Exporters of military goods and those engaged in the transfer of military technology specified in the Export Control Order 2008 require a licence to export or transfer from the UK.”
Separately, the report also mentions a research conducted by a London based civil society think-tank – Civitas, which claimed that 20 British universities had dealings with 29 Chinese Universities and with 9 companies with military links, including with Chinese weapons conglomerates.
Radomir Tylecote, the study’s lead author and a former Treasury official, expressed concern that research sponsored by Chinese organisations could have dual use in a military capacity.
Taking it to twitter, Tylecote tweeted,
On our @Civitas_UK paper:
— Radomir Tylecote (@RadoTylecote) February 8, 2021
With @RobertClark87 I analyse numerous UK university centres sponsored by China's advanced weapons firms and WMD conglomerates and military-linked universities
Out later today. More soon 👇 https://t.co/yv5r2dfXGH
British Universities have been looking to China as a source of income. They have more Chinese students than any other country, paying £1.7 billion a year in tuition fees. There have been concerns of information sharing ever since Xi Jinping became the President of China in 2013. He has ramped up nationalist rhetoric, spent massively on armed forces, silenced dissidents, unleashed genocide in Xinjiang and showed far more foreign policy aggression. Besides, many leading Chinese Universities have long been linked to the military, whether through their own research labs or via funding from conglomerates, often State-owned.
