China's use of technology is a threat to global security, warns UK spy chief

United Kingdom intelligence chief warns that China's use of technology is a threat to global security as Beijing wants to use new technologies to repress dissent at home and spread its influence across the world.

According to the extracts of Jeremy Fleming's scheduled speech, he thinks that China is using its financial and scientific muscle from digital currencies to satellite systemsto manipulate technologies. Fleming is the head of Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

The excerpts released by his office stated: "They seek to secure their advantage through scale and through control. This means they see opportunities to control the Chinese people rather than looking for ways to support and unleash their citizens' potential."

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"They see nations as either potential adversaries or potential client states, to be threatened, bribed, or coerced," the speech, which will be delivered by UK's spy chief on Tuesday in the annual security lecture at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, added.

Fleming will also say that China's "great strength combined with fear is driving China into actions that could represent a huge threat to us all" and will also include that Beijing's leadership was driven by a fear of their own citizens, "the whole open, democratic order and the international rules-based system."

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This is not the first time China has faced such accusations as last year, Fleming said theWestfaced a battleto prevent China from controlling crucial developing technologies like genetics, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence.

In his speech, Fleming will also talk about technologies where he says China is seeking to gain leverage. For example development of a centralised, digital currency to allow it to monitor the transactions of users, etc.

Meanwhile, China denies such accusations stating them to be groundless and politically motivated smears.

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The UK spy chief will also point to Beidou, which is China's answer to the US-owned GPS navigation system. He will say: "Many believe that China is building a powerful anti-satellite capability, with a doctrine of denying other nations access to space in the event of a conflict. And there are fears the technology could be used to track individuals."

(With inputs from agencies)

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