Security fear over China tech deal
BRITAIN is on a “ticking timebomb” after agreeing to supply China with high-tech radar and targeting systems, experts warned last night.
The Government describes the equipment covered by the open individual export licence as “target acquisition, weapon control and counter-measure systems” for “aircraft, helicopters and drones”.
It is intended for China’s air force, but experts say Beijing could use it to help secure its illegal occupation of South China Sea islands and atolls.
Dr John Hemmings of the Henry Jackson Society’s Asia studies centre said: “Both British arms in the hands of the Chinese military and Chinese components in Britain’s core data infrastructure are ticking timebombs.
“Britain cannot allow its defence technology to fall into the hands of a threatening and authoritarian China.”
The Department for International Trade said the equipment was not Tier 1 – Britain’s most sophisticated. But Professor David Stupples, Britain’s top expert on China’s use of electronic and radio systems, said: “Tier 1 equipment is usually an evolution of Tier 2 and it won’t take them long to reverseengineer it and make the leap themselves.” Security chiefs including MI6 boss Alex Younger and top Ministry of Defence policymakers have warned Beijing cannot be trusted to provide telecoms equipment in Britain. A major concern is Chinese involvement in Britain’s 5G network, the latest generation of mobile infrastructure.
A top MoD source said last night: “If China is allowed to provide our 5G system, it’s game over.
“We may as well just scrap our defence budget.”
On Monday Sir Alex said Britain should “decide the extent to which we are going to be comfortable with Chinese ownership of these technologies and these platforms in an environment where some of our allies have taken a quite definite position”.