British PM must limit entry of Chinese officials to just the first day of the event due to espionage concerns
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may ban Chinese officials from attending half of his artificial intelligence security summit in November over concerns about espionage. The Prime Minister’s office has already invited China to the event in Bletchley Park, which aims to discuss global AI-related strategies for the coming years.
According to sources linked to the cabinet, Chinese authorities may only be allowed to participate in the first day of the summit because of alleged espionage activities promoted by Beijing in the United Kingdom and other Western countries. The information was published by the newspaper The Guardian this Friday (September 15, 2023).
On Sunday (September 10), the London Metropolitan Police announced the arrest, in March, of 2 individuals under the Official Secrets Act, which deals with cases related to suspected espionage. One of those detained was a researcher who worked in the House of Commons, the lower house of the British Parliament.
With the disclosure of the case, Sunak said he was “horrified” with reports of espionage and emphasized that he is committed to “protect democracy”. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the UK stated that the accusations are completely “fabricated” is “malicious slander”.
“We firmly oppose the allegations and urge the relevant parties in the UK to end their anti-China political manipulation and stop staging this political farce.”he declared.
The November summit aims to discuss how artificial intelligence could pose a threat to human life, especially when used by states or individuals to create weapons more quickly. Officials hope that this meeting will become a recurring event, with the participation of several countries, similar to the format of the G7, G20 or CoP.
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