FILE PHOTO: MI6 chief Alex Younger speaks at MI6's Vauxhall Cross headquarters in central London, in this still image from video, Britain December 8, 2016. Crown Copyright/Handout via REUTERS

ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) - The global balance is tilting toward China as the world’s second largest economy gains significant capital, global clout and technological dominance, the chief of Britain’s MI6 spy service said on Monday.

“Basically, power, money and politics is going east,” the chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, Alex Younger said. “That’s a new political reality we need to adjust to.”

“Let’s also dwell on the opportunities inherent in that as well as the threats,” he said.

Speaking to students at the University of St Andrews, he was asked about 5G reliance on Chinese technology.

“We have some decisions to take here,” Younger said. “We need to look at it and we need to have a conversation. It is not straightforward.”