British Cyber Spy Agency Says China is Using Technology to Spread Influence

China uses its financial and scientific powers to manipulate technology in a way that endangers global security. (photo: doc. pixabay)

JAKARTA - China is said to have used its financial and scientific power to manipulate technology in a way that jeopardizes global security. This was revealed by the UK's leading cyber spy on Tuesday, 11 October. He also warned that Beijing's actions could represent a "major threat to all of us."

In his address, Jeremy Fleming, director of the GCHQ spy agency, will say that China's leadership is seeking to use technologies such as digital currency and the Beidou satellite navigation network to tighten its grip on its citizens at home, while spreading its influence overseas.

"They seek to secure their profits through scale and through control," Fleming said at the annual security lecture at the think tank Royal United Services Institute, according to excerpts released by his office.

"This means they see an opportunity to control the Chinese people rather than looking for ways to support and unleash their potential citizens. They see the state as a potential enemy or potential client state, to be threatened, bribed or coerced," Fleming added.

The statement was Fleming's latest public warning about Beijing's behavior and aspirations. Last year, he said the West faced a battle to ensure China did not dominate important emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, synthetic biology and genetics.

Fleming said that China's leadership is driven by the fear of its own citizens, free speech, free trade and open technology standards and alliances, "an open whole, democratic order and international rules-based system."

"Fear combined with China's power pushed it into action that could represent a grave threat to all of us," he said.

China has previously described similar accusations from Western governments as baseless and politically motivated slander.

Fleming will also highlight technologies where he says China is trying to gain influence, such as the development of a centralized digital currency to allow it to monitor user transactions, as well as the possibility of evading the types of sanctions Russia has faced since. invasion of Ukraine.

He will also point to Beidou, China's answer to the US' GPS navigation system. "Many believe that China is building a strong anti-satellite capability, with the doctrine of denying other countries access to space in the event of a conflict," he said. "And there are concerns that the technology could be used to track individuals."