Universities Urged to ‘Be Watchful’ Over National Security Amid Fears of Chinese Influence

Honorands and senior university members take part in the annual Encaenia ceremony at Oxford University in Oxford, west of London, on Sept. 22, 2021. Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images

Universities should “always be watchful” when it comes to national security, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said amid concerns about Chinese influence in higher education institutions.

The relationship between the UK and China has come under renewed scrutiny in light of case of the alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, who has been banned from Britain and linked to the Duke of York.

On national security concerns, Phillipson said on Tuesday, “Universities should always be watchful, we support them in their endeavours as does the regulator.”

She drew a distinction between the contribution of international students themselves and the wider strategic challenge presented in matters of foreign policy.

“Of course, we do have important trading relationships with China as with many other nations and international students come to our country from many, many countries around the world.”

“That’s because our universities are renowned around the world because they are world-leading, they offer a fantastic education and international students provide an important contribution to the UK economy,” she told Times Radio.

She acknowledged the “important contribution” by international students to British universities and said that the government will always prioritise national interests in its policies.

“Where it comes to Britain’s national and strategic interest, whether that’s our approach to foreign policy, our approach around education and universities, we will always make sure that the British national interest is our number one priority,” Phillipson said.

Infiltration Concerns

Phillipson’s remarks follow comments by the Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp during a House of Commons debate on Monday.

Philp expressed concern about the scale of Chinese infiltration into British institutions, saying: “Chinese infiltration of public organisations is of grave concern, but it’s not just public organisations such as government; it’s also businesses and universities that are being systemically infiltrated.”

Last year, a report by the think tank Civitas revealed that between 2017 and the 2022–2023 academic year, UK universities received approximately £122 million to £156 million in Chinese funding, excluding student fees.

Of this amount, about £20 million to £30.5 million originated from entities sanctioned by the United States, though not by the UK.

In March, a report by the Financial Times identified at least five academic papers published since 2023 involving the Imperial College London and Chinese entities with potential military applications.

In response, then-Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden expressed serious concern and indicated that the government is assessing measures to protect the UK’s academic sector.

Some of the Chinese institutions involved are part of the “Seven Sons of National Defence,” known for their military affiliations.

Government Approach

Addressing the Commons, Philp, who served as technology minister, pointed to critical areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, where he witnessed attempts to access sensitive information.

Citing MI5 Director General Ken McCallum, Philp noted that Chinese activities seeking to influence UK institutions were happening on an “epic scale.”

He added that Chinese agents have approached approximately 20,000 individuals in efforts to forge connections or gain access to technology, emphasising that “every member of this House” may have been targeted at some point.

Security minister Dan Jarvis echoed Philp’s concerns, saying, “It is completely unacceptable that any entity, whether they be a hostile state or other, seeks to draw intellectual property out of our country.”

Jarvis confirmed that the government is working on its foreign influence registration scheme (FIRS), which aims to improve transparency and counter foreign interference. The regulations for FIRS will be laid out early in the new year, with the scheme expected to launch by summer 2025.

Despite these security concerns, the government has adopted a pragmatic approach to its relationship with China.

Phillipson has emphasised the importance of maintaining dialogue where it serves the UK’s national interest. Speaking to Sky News, she said, “We’ve got our national interest to think about, and that does involve having dialogue with China where it serves Britain’s national interest.”

This approach was demonstrated in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, where the UK made clear its intent to engage pragmatically while prioritising national security.

PA Media contributed to this report.