Rishi Sunak defies Tory MPs by inviting China to his Artificial Intelligence summit despite Parliament ‘spy’ row – as Foreign Secretary James Cleverly insists Britain must ‘engage’ with Beijing
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly today confirmed Britain had invited China to an international summit on Artificial Intelligence despite the Parliament ‘spy’ row.
The Cabinet minister insisted the UK had to ‘engage’ with Beijing when it is in the ‘national interest’.
But the invite sparked anger among Tory MPs who had called for China to be banned from the meeting – being convened by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – due to the ‘threat’ posed by the country.
It was recently revealed how two men had been arrested under the Official Secrets Act amid allegations that a parliamentary researcher spied for China.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, one of the leading China critics in the House of Commons, told MailOnline he was ‘disappointed’ that China had been invited to the upcoming AI summit.
China’s invite sparked anger among Tory MPs who had called for Beijing to be banned from the meeting – being convened by Rishi Sunak – due to the ‘threat’ posed by the country
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, one of the leading China critics in the House of Commons, told MailOnline he was ‘disappointed’ that China had been invited to the upcoming AI summit
It was recently revealed how two men had been arrested under the Official Secrets Act amid allegations that a parliamentary researcher spied for China.
The AI summit is due to take place in November at Bletchley Park, the Buckinghamshire estate which became the home of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War
Mr Cleverly, who is currently attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, today confirmed China’s invitation to the Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit.
The gathering is due to take place in the first week of November at Bletchley Park, the Buckinghamshire estate which became the home of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War.
The Foreign Secretary said in a statement: ‘We cannot keep the UK public safe from the risks of AI if we exclude one of the leading nations in AI tech.
‘That’s why China has been invited to our AI Safety Summit in November.
‘The UK’s approach to China is to protect our institutions and infrastructure, align with partners and engage where it is in the UK’ss national interest.’
But confirmation of China’s invite to the summit drew anger from senior Conservatives.
Sir Iain told MailOnline: ‘I am disappointed. China is busy trying to merge biotechnology with AI creating a huge threat to members of the free world.
‘Getting them to the meeting would act as an endorsement of their model of control of people through this technological process.’
But, in a statement released by his lawyers Binberg Peirce, the man has said he is ‘completely innocent’.
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