Kwasi blocks China tie-up with UK uni

BUSINESS Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has blocked a deal involving a Chinese firm and a British university – using national security powers for the first time.

Manchester University was looking to sell Beijing Infinite Vision Technology a licence to make and sell products that use ‘intelligent camera’ technology which can screen out irrelevant visual information.

The deal triggered a probe under last year’s National Security and Investment Act that gives the Business Secretary powers to intervene in transactions on national security grounds.

Kwarteng concluded the kit had ‘dual-use applications’, meaning it could be used for civil and military purposes, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said. He also found that there was ‘potential that the technology could be used to build defence or technological capabilities’.

Manchester University could not be reached for comment.