- As noted previously, the CCP is clear—including through its 'Made in China 2025' strategy—about its ambition to become the world leader in advanced technologies such as AI and new synthetic materials. UK scientists and academics are at the cutting edge of the development of many of these technologies, however, despite this, successive UK Governments have been criticised for failing to act to protect UK science and technology against Chinese economic influence and espionage. This is a point which the Government has acknowledged. In December 2020, the Committee was told by the Deputy National Security Adviser (DNSA):
in the past we have perhaps not had as rigorous a process at identifying, across the board, what needs to be protected based on our sovereign interest. We've had a very sophisticated process in some areas, so for example Critical National Infrastructure, which includes energy and so on. We've been weaker [historically] in other areas, for example emerging technology, potentially strategic suppliers and interdependences and data and telecoms infrastructure particularly.[1]
However, the DNSA emphasised that there was now increasing recognition of the problem, and that matters were beginning to improve:
I think we have, over the past couple of years, been very conscious that we needed to both fix the system and get after some of those very specific threats in a more cohesive way across the whole of Government, and with a structured policy framework and new infrastructure …[2]
- In August 2020, the Government had, through its Emerging Technology Board, identified a number of critical and emerging technologies:
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning;
- Robotics and Autonomous Systems;
- Quantum Technologies,
- Engineering / Synthetic Biology;
- Mobile or Consumer Telecommunications;
- Advanced Materials;
- Novel Connectivity,
- Digital Finances;
- Imaging, Sensors and Photonics;
- Space-related Technologies;
139
