How concerned should Britain be about the security threat from China?

As the deputy prime minister sets out the government’s approach to the challenge presented by the superpower, Sean O’Grady looks at the extent of the problem – and at what can be done to mitigate it

Oliver Dowden gives a speech on Thursday at Chatham House about economic security (PA)

In another sign of cooling Sino-British relations, the deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, has signalled that the government will examine new measures to protect sensitive technology developed in British universities from being transferred to overseas competitors, with particular reference to China.

Ministers will also consider measures to prevent British institutions from becoming too dependent on foreign investment, in light of a Whitehall review of security threats to British academia. In a slightly unfortunately phrased warning, Dowden said that “cutting-edge development in sensitive technologies” in Britain’s universities had “the potential to become a chink in our armoury [sic]”. The fear is that the West is “in cyber and economic contestation with an increasing range of state and non-state actors”.

The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has also warned about British businesses and consumers becoming overly dependent on Chinese imports. It feels like a long time since David Cameron, the then prime minister, declared a “golden age” in relations between Britain and China...