However, concerns have been raised that this collaboration could be used to develop China's military capabilities. A 2021 Civitas report into Chinese military exploitation of scientific research at UK universities highlighted this collaboration between BIAM and the University of Manchester. The report noted that BIAM was working in parallel to develop graphene for a range of uses, and that Chinese reports suggested that China's Z-10 attack helicopter had been equipped with graphene armour that may have been developed at BIAM.[1]
The University of Manchester has also acknowledged the potential dual-use of research jointly with other Chinese universities—for instance, collaboration between researchers at the University of Manchester and at Central South University China led to the creation of a new kind of ceramic coating that could "revolutionise hypersonic travel for air, space and defence purposes".[2]
***.[3]
It appears that any collaboration between a UK research institution and a Chinese institution will very probably be used to benefit China's military. By way of example, the case of Huang Xianjun was publicised by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.[4] After completing his PhD at the University of Manchester, working with the discoverers of graphene, Huang is now a researcher at China's National University of Defence Technology, working on key defence projects for the People's Liberation Army. ***.[5]
- There is a question as to whether academic institutions are sufficiently alive to this threat—particularly given that academic institutions will often accept the transfer of Information Data and IP as a condition of funding.[6] The JIC Chair told the Committee in October 2020 that the Intelligence Community have significant concerns about research partnerships where universities may "unwisely not recognise who they are actually dealing with and the sensitivity of information which may be being transferred as a result".[7]
- Some universities clearly are aware of the threat posed by collaboration: the University of Cambridge has expressed concern that its science and technology research projects are being exposed to espionage via the university's collaborative projects with, and investment from, Huawei.[8] They are particularly concerned about exposing 'high-risk' projects that require additional layers of vetting—for example, research collaboration with Rolls-Royce on aerospace technology.
- ↑ 'Inadvertently arming China? The Chinese military complex and its potential exploitation of scientific research at UK universities', Civitas, February 2021.
- ↑ 'Chances of hypersonic travel heat up with new materials discovery', press release by the University of Manchester, 6 July 2017.
- ↑ Written evidence—HMG, 18 April 2019.
- ↑ 'How the West's research aids China's military', Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 30 October 2018.
- ↑ Written evidence—GCHQ, 31 July 2019.
- ↑ Written evidence—HMG, 18 April 2019.
- ↑ Oral evidence—JIO, *** October 2020.
- ↑ Written evidence—HMG, 18 April 2019.
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