British spies will scrutinise computer systems and cybersecurity at nuclear plants built by Chinese companies, amid fears that Beijing could use new commercial deals to threaten the UK’s national security.
The role of the listening station GCHQ in protecting Britain’s energy network from cyberattack has been confirmed as President Xi lands in London tonight on a four-day state visit hailed by David Cameron as the start of a “golden era” in Britain’s relationship with Beijing.
The Times disclosed last week that security chiefs had expressed concerns to ministers about the decision to ask Chinese companies with links to the military establishment in Beijing to take a stake in three nuclear power plants.
Negotiations over China’s role in the first project, at Hinkley Point, Somerset, continued over the weekend, but an accord is expected to be signed during President Xi’s visit. Under the deal, China will join the French energy giant EDF in building nuclear plants at Hinkley Point and Sizewell, Suffolk, and will have the chance to design and build its own facility at Bradwell, Essex.
China is still seen as a serious threat to British interests, especially in cyberespionage, and ministers are seeking to allay fears over its involvement in a key element of the national infrastructure.
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Security sources said that the Treasury was driving the deal and ignoring legitimate concerns, including fears that “trapdoors” could be secreted in software to enable Beijing to seize control of a nuclear plant if diplomatic relationships were to break down. The intelligence agencies have been consulted over the deal, but have not made their involvement public until now.
“GCHQ has a remit to support the cybersecurity of private-sector-owned critical national infrastructure projects, including in the civil nuclear sector and nuclear new builds, when invited to do so by the lead government department involved,” a spokesman said.
A row over human rights at the start of the visit intensified yesterday when Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, warned that Mr Xi was “not here for a debate” about rights. Mr Xi told Reuters that Britain had made a “visionary and strategic choice” to become Beijing’s closest friend in the West. However, Steve Hilton, the prime minister’s former strategy chief, said that China was “run by a bunch of cruel, corrupt, communist dictators”.
The nuclear deal is attacked in The Times today by a group of 21 British scientists and academics, who accuse the government of adopting a “slash and burn policy” on renewable energy to help to fund expensive and unnecessary nuclear power stations. In August ministers removed subsidies for clean energy, including a 90 per cent cut in the “feed-in tariff” available for rooftop solar panels. Support for onshore wind-power has also been reduced.
Led by Paul Dorfman, of University College London, the academics criticise George Osborne for backing a £17 billion nuclear scheme. The strategy would “lead to profound problems for UK energy policy and the economy long after the chancellor has quit his watch”, the letter says. Chinese state visit, pages 6-7 Letters, page 28 Leading article, page 29