Chinese takeover of UK smoke alarm maker triggers national security alert
National security restrictions have been placed on a tiny British manufacturer of smoke alarms after it was taken over by a state-owned Chinese company.
Pat McFadden, minister for the Cabinet Office, issued a notice banning Kent-based FireBlitz Extinguisher from selling its own internet-connected devices and from sharing data with 'certain entities'.
The order was imposed through the National Security and Investment Act after the company was acquired by Canadian-based Maple Armor, which is in turn part of Beijing-headquartered fire alarm company Jade Bird.
Jade Bird's largest shareholder is Peking University, which like other Chinese academic institutions has close links with the country's communist government.
Weimin Cai, who is Jade Bird's chairman and founded the business in 2001, has also been listed as a director of FireBlitz since April 2024, according to Companies House.
No explicit reason was given for the UK Government's restrictions on FireBlitz. However, under the 2021 act, ministers have wide-ranging powers to intervene in takeovers that are seen to pose potential risks to national security.
The Cabinet Office said Mr McFadden had deemed the restrictions 'necessary and proportionate' following 'a detailed national security assessment'.
A spokesman said: 'The National Security and Investment Act enables the government to continue championing open investment while protecting national security.
'As you would expect, we cannot comment further given the quasi-judicial nature of the Government's investment screening powers.'
Such orders are usually issued to tackle either imminent security risks or perceived risks that might arise in future.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by FireBlitz, Maple Armor or Jade Bird.
'Sensors in every room'
FireBlitz's products are used by a string of fire and rescue services across the country, as well as other public bodies.
It secured a joint contract worth up to £40m in 2015 to supply smoke alarms and hard-wired alarms to YPO, a major supplier to the public sector, as well as another joint contract worth up to £30m in 2021 to supply smoke alarms to all of the country's fire services.
The Government's order restricts what kinds of devices the company can sell in future and how it uses data.
It bans FireBlitz from developing, manufacturing or marketing its own 'internet of things' devices – products that can connect to the internet and wirelessly transmit information to each other – or sell them in partnership with companies based in countries 'outside of a pre-approved list'.
The company was also banned from sharing data it collects from any internet-connected devices with any other entities.
One cyber security expert said that digitally-enabled fire alarms could theoretically pose a risk as they could be remotely accessed and used for snooping or to gain access secure buildings.
Ken Munro, founder of Pen Test Partners, said such alarms are typically connected to 'smart' door systems and automatically disengage the locks when a fire is detected in a building, so that people can escape safely.
He said: 'So if you want to break in somewhere, you just trigger the alarm remotely, and it unlocks all the doors.'
Internet connected smoke alarms also amounted to 'a sensor in every room', he added.
'Who's to say what's inside that smoke sensor? It's going to be networked, so it's going to be somewhere on the core network. It's going to have an interface, so could easily end up being a backdoor, particularly if it's cloud connected.
'So therefore, you've got a fire alarm that's probably connected to a cloud [computing server]. And that cloud's probably in China somewhere, if it's Chinese.'
China has previously been accused by Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, of espionage on an 'epic scale' and MPs have called for the country to be designated as a threat to Britain.
There is no suggestion that Jade Bird or FireBlitz is engaged in espionage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Sweet-toothed fans are racing to Iceland for retro snack inspired by iconic 2000s drink
SHOPPERS are flocking to Iceland to get their hands on a snack inspired by an iconic 2000s drink. Nesquik now comes in yogurt form, and they are bringing back some core memories for millennials. 1 The cereal treat is a split pot with a generous helping of sweet yogurt made from 83 percent milk and crunchy chocolate balls. The four-pack of 107g Chocoballs pots is being sold exclusively at Iceland for £2.80. There is also a deal on now where you can buy three packs for just £6.00 - saving yourself £2.40. Or you can mix and match them with a choice between Muller Corners or Quality Street's Toffee Dessert. One savvy shopper spotted the tasty treat in their local Iceland and shared a photo on Snack Reviews Facebook page. "I need," one wrote, adding the eyes emoji. "I want these for me, not the kids," another joked. Nesquik was a huge hit in the 2000s and is known for its range of flavoured milk drink powders, particularly the iconic chocolate variety. It has been a staple in many British households for decades, often associated with childhood memories and nostalgic comfort. In addition to the classic powders, Nesquik in the UK has expanded its product range to include ready-to-drink bottles and cereal, further cementing its presence in the breakfast and snack categories. Dunnes Stores fans set for frenzy as major new food section lands in supermarkets This comes as Nesquik's creator Nestle revealed it hiked the cost of its chocolate and coffee for customers. The Swiss company said it's raised its prices by 2.1% overall - but for some items the hikes are in the double digits. It blamed surging costs of coffee beans and chocolate. "Despite the significant level of the increases in many markets, the actions were implemented with limited customer disruption," Nestle said. Nestle produces a range of products, including chocolates, sweets, cereals, drinks, ice cream and pet foods. Among its popular brands are Aero, Milkybar, Smarties, Milo, Haagen Dazs, San Pellegrino, and Felix cat food. The company said it had better-than-expected sales growth of 2.8% in the first three months of the year. The higher prices accounted for much of the rise. Nestle said it had seen demand drop significantly following the price increases but it is now bouncing back. It also warned there could be further impacts on customers due to higher global tariffs. Donald Trump recently launched a global trade war when he announced major tariffs on dozens of countries. The move has raised fears of a global recession, sent stock markets tumbling and caused economic uncertainty for businesses trading internationally. Mr Trump has called on American companies to produce their products in the US to avoid costly tariffs. But for chocolate makers this is near impossible as the key ingredient, cocoa, can only be grown in tropical climates. On top of this, the price of cocoa has soared in recent years. Farmers in West Africa, where 70% of the world's cocoa is harvested, have been struggling with climate-related issues that have decimated their cocoa production. It's estimated 400,000 tonnes less of cocoa has been produced over the last few years, hiking the price significantly.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
China's consumer prices extend decline for fourth month in May
BEIJING, June 9 (Reuters) - China's consumer prices fell for a fourth straight month in May while producer deflation deepened, as the economy faces headwinds from trade tensions and a prolonged housing downturn. The consumer price index dipped 0.1% last month from a year earlier, versus a 0.1% drop in April, National Bureau of Statistics data showed on Monday, slightly better than a Reuters poll forecast of a 0.2% decline. CPI slid 0.2% on a monthly basis, compared with a 0.1% increase in April, and matched economists' predictions of a 0.2% decline. The producer price index was down 3.3% in May from a year earlier, worse than a 2.7% decline in April and the deepest contraction in 22 months. That compared with an estimated 3.2% fall in a Reuters poll.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Dollar steadies after rally, focus shifts to US-China trade talks
June 9 (Reuters) - The dollar held steady against all major currencies on Monday, as exuberance over an upbeat U.S. employment report gave way to caution ahead of pivotal U.S.-China trade talks set to take place in London later in the day. The talks come at a crucial time for both economies, with China grappling with deflation and trade uncertainty dampening sentiment among U.S. businesses and consumers, prompting investors to reassess the dollar's safe-haven status. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are expected to represent the U.S. at the trade talks, while vice premier He Lifeng would likely be present with the Chinese delegation. "A deal to keep talking might be better than nothing, but unless we see a concrete breakthrough, the impact on sentiment is likely to remain muted," said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets. Friday's upbeat U.S. jobs report yielded some relief for investors following other bleak economic data last week. The dollar advanced against major peers after the employment report, which cut weekly declines in the dollar index by more than half. However, it is still down by more than 8.6% for the year. On Monday, the yen firmed 0.10% at 144.750 per dollar, as data showed Japan's economy contracted at a slower-than-expected pace in the January-March period. The Swiss franc was steady at 0.8221 per dollar by 0041 GMT. The euro was last flat at $1.1399, while the sterling fetched $1.3535. The dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six others, was steady at 99.169. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes was flat in early Asia trading, after a more than 10 basis points jump on Friday. New Zealand's dollar last bought $0.6020, while the Australian dollar inched up 0.1% at $0.65 in light volumes as markets were closed for a public holiday. An inflation report out of the U.S. for the month of May will be in the spotlight later in the week as investors and Federal Reserve policymakers look for evidence on the damage trade restrictive policies have had on the economy. Fed officials are in a blackout period ahead of their policy meeting next week, but they have signalled that they are in no rush to cut interest rates and signs of better-than-feared economic resilience are likely to further cement their stance. Interest rate futures indicate that investors are anticipating the central bank may cut borrowing costs by 25 basis points, with the earliest move expected in October this year, according to data compiled by LSEG. "May is the first month where the impact of Trump's 10% universal tariff on imports ex-USMCA is expected to show. The Fed will want a few months of inflation data in order to judge the tariff impact and most importantly, its persistence," analysts at ANZ Bank said. Elsewhere, China's offshore yuan was last at 7.187 per dollar ahead of inflation and trade data.
