Latest news with #China-critical
Mint
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Mint
German spy indictment punctures attempted China-Europe thaw
BERLIN—Germany has charged a former staffer to a right-wing politician with spying on behalf of China in a move that could complicate the coming German government's relationship to China. The indictment trains the spotlight back on China's spying at a sensitive time. It comes as signs of a thaw between Beijing and the European Union are emerging and just days before Friedrich Merz, a conservative, is expected to be elected Germany's new chancellor with a mandate to recast Germany's foreign policy. The charges, which prosecutors said were brought earlier this month, come almost a year after a Chinese-born German national, identified as Jian G., was detained while working as a parliamentary assistant to a senior member of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD. Jian G. is accused of obtaining more than 500 documents, including some classified as particularly sensitive, while working at the European Parliament, prosecutors said. Yaqi X., a Chinese national, was charged with providing Jian G. with information about weapon shipments out of Germany. Merz's government-in-waiting has said it would adopt the more China-critical policy initiated under the previous government but also seek cooperation with Beijing whenever warranted by German and European interests. Merz himself has repeatedly warned German companies to reduce their exposure to the Chinese market. Yet Merz has also made it a priority to recalibrate German policy, seeking closer cooperation with traditional European allies. After people close to President Trump, including Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance, expressed support for the AfD at the February election, Merz said he would make Germany more independent of the U.S. Spying charges against a Chinese-born German national come amid signs of a thaw between Beijing and the European Union. Given the more adversarial tone in the trans-Atlantic relation, analysts expect Berlin and other European capitals will be less inclined to join future U.S. initiatives to weaken China than they were under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the European Parliament said last week that its president was in the final stages of negotiating the removal of sanctions imposed by Beijing in 2021 against several European lawmakers. Beijing adopted the sanctions after the EU sanctioned some Chinese officials it accused of committing human-rights violations in the Xinjiang region. At the time of his arrest, Jian G. was working as an assistant to Maximilian Krah, then a member of the European Parliament and his party's lead candidate at last year's European election. Krah, who has since been elected to the German Parliament, isn't a suspect in the case and has disavowed his former assistant. Jian G. had been an employee of the Chinese intelligence service since 2002, according to the indictment. He used his position at the European Parliament between 2019 and 2024 to gather information for China about the body's decisions, prosecutors said. He is also suspected of gathering notes about the top leaders of the AfD party, though these constituted a small part of the documents he had obtained, according to a person familiar with the case. Prosecutors also accused Jian G. of posing as a critic of the Chinese government to spy on Chinese opposition members and dissidents in Germany and to gather personal data about them. Jian G.'s lawyer and the Chinese Embassy in Berlin didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Yaqi X., a 38-year old Chinese national, was detained last September while working for a logistics company at the Leipzig airport in Eastern Germany. Prosecutors said she had collected flights, cargo and passenger information for Jian G., including data on people related to a German armaments company. At the time of her arrest, German officials said her targets included U.S. weapon shipments to Israel. Merz's proposed coalition faces its last major hurdle on Wednesday when the Social Democratic Party, junior partner in the alliance, releases the result of a ballot of its members on whether to endorse the 144-page coalition agreement between the two parties. Write to Bertrand Benoit at
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
I was detained by Chinese police after classmate in Britain spied on me
In late 2022, Haoyu, a Chinese student at a top British university, saw a call from a withheld number flash up on his mobile phone. The male voice at the end of the line identified himself as a member of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), a network of student-led organisations claiming to represent Chinese citizens studying abroad. The caller said he knew where Haoyu lived, where his parents lived, and that there would be repercussions for what he had done. Haoyu – whose real name has not been used in order to protect his identity – was among several hundred protesters who had gathered outside the Chinese embassy in London on Nov 27 2022 to demonstrate against president Xi Jinping's Covid policies. The rally was one of dozens organised across the world in what was known as the White Paper Movement to show solidarity with rare anti-government protests that had erupted in China several weeks earlier. Though ostensibly reacting to strict lockdown measures under Mr Xi, the demonstrations were also part of a broader protest against Chinese oppression. Wearing Covid masks to obscure their faces, protesters filled the street outside 49 Portland Place, in central London, and held up blank sheets of paper – a symbol of China's pervasive censorship. Haoyu is one of several students to whom The Telegraph has spoken about the real-life consequences of Chinese dissidence in the UK. Students described a similar pattern of receiving flak from their peers after speaking critically about China, before the situation escalated to more formal punishments. It comes amid growing fears that UK universities are failing to protect China-critical students for fear of jeopardising lucrative ties with Beijing. Around 150,000 Chinese students are enrolled at British universities, who collectively contribute around £2.3 billion in fees each year. Chinese students also make up a significant portion of the overall student body at many universities, including some leading Russell Group institutions. More than a quarter of all students at University College London came from China in 2022/23, while just under a fifth did at the University of Manchester, according to the Higher Education Statistics Authority. At the same time, the UK university sector receives millions each year in donations, grants and research funding from Chinese sources, with many institutions holding fruitful partnerships with Beijing institutions. The Telegraph has seen a letter sent last week by leading China hawks to Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, warning that this has created a university sector in which Chinese students are being 'systematically silenced on UK campuses'. Haoyu, who is in his twenties and studying for an undergraduate degree, immediately moved in with a friend after the phone call. When his parents called him a few days later, he realised that news of his activism appeared to have reached China. 'They told me they had been questioned by the administrative police in China, in my home town. [The police] asked them if I had done something abroad, so they felt very scared,' he told The Telegraph. After a family member became ill in 2023, Haoyu booked a flight to China. He was right to fear that something may happen when he landed. Chinese border officials soon led him to an interrogation room, where he was questioned over what he had 'done abroad' before being handcuffed and driven to a nearby police station. There, he was subjected to further questioning by officers. 'They kept asking me the same thing. What they wanted to do was just to force me to confess, just to admit what I did, and then they were asking me if I recognised any other members [of the protest],' he said. 'They said if I confessed I would have a relatively un-severe punishment, but I didn't recognise them.' After about an hour, Haoyu was forced to sign a document confirming his presence at the demonstration, and was taken to a single cell with a hard board for a bed, where he was told he would remain for two weeks. 'At the beginning I was told [it would be] for 14 days, so I was counting down. But there was no clock. You don't have a concept of time inside. There is no window, so you have no [natural] light, but I also couldn't sleep because they kept the lights on,' he said. Haoyu claimed he was repeatedly hauled into an interrogation room during the two-week detainment, where he was frequently forced to recite China's national security law from a small brochure. Officers sat scrolling on their phones while he was reciting the law, but would get up and flash a spotlight directly into his eyes if he stopped. 'There was one time when it lasted more than a day... [I know] it lasted for more than 24 hours, because I can remember that they changed shifts two or three times to different officers,' Haoyu said. His prevailing feeling during the sleepless fortnight was one of 'hopelessness', abated briefly by a single phone call to his parents that he was allowed to make on the third or fourth day. Haoyu was released after signing a 'repentance letter' – used as a political tool in China by forcing dissidents to express regret over their actions. When he finally reached home, few words were exchanged with his parents about what had happened to him, or their previous visit from police. 'They had the fear – they wouldn't talk about that,' he said. Hoyu returned to the UK several weeks later. He managed to convince Chinese officials to let him board his flight by showing them proof of his forthcoming university exams. 'I felt a relief when I was on the plane, but at the same time, I thought I don't know what I can do next,' he said. 'I went back to my accommodation, and I didn't know it but I was in a very large depression at that time. I was scared of Chinese faces and also I was almost afraid of my mother tongue. 'When you're just walking on the street and someone with a Chinese face approaches you, I feel scared. You have no idea where the fear comes from – you just feel like someone's watching. You self-censor what your behaviour is.' He has slowly built back his confidence, but received another blow when fellow students reported him to the Chinese government about a university presentation he had given in which he briefly criticised his country. Haoyu received an email from an anonymous address, which included a screenshot of a 'successful report' made about him through a Chinese government platform. The website, seen by The Telegraph, claims to reward Chinese citizens for 'whistleblowing' about dissidents. 'I didn't realise after the class but people were asking for my name, like 'oh, your speech was very interesting, shall we get to know each other?' So some of them reported me, and I don't know how long it was, but after that my parents were questioned again by the police in China.' Haoyu believes his experience shows that the UK is not safe for Chinese dissidents, even at university. 'Once I received the threat from the CSSA, I can no longer trust anyone,' he said. 'I can't fall asleep and I have flashbacks and nightmares… I'm just a dissident, I'm not someone who's committed a crime. But when I hear the sound of a police car now I feel scared. I always feel like someone is following you.' Ms Phillipson has been warned by more than a dozen academics and human rights campaigners that 'Chinese students in the UK live in fear'. In their letter to the Education Secretary last week, they raised serious concerns that Chinese students faced the threat of 'surveillance, harassment, intimidation, and even violence as Chinese authorities attempt to suppress their engagement with sensitive or political issues'. The China hawks claimed that 'Chinese embassies regularly threaten universities with the loss of Chinese students if they fail to respond to embassy 'guidance''. The letter – signed by figures including Prof Steve Tsang, from the School of Oriental and African Studies, and Charles Parton, a senior fellow at the Rusi think tank – raised particular concerns over the 90 or so CSSAs operating across the UK. The academics warned that while they purported to be student bodies helping their peers to integrate at university, CSSAs were often 'heavily involved in reporting Chinese students to the embassy and authorities'. The Telegraph has also seen evidence that Chinese students may be getting financial rewards to report peers who speak critically about Beijing in the UK. The Chinese government website used to report Haoyu to Beijing authorities states that it offers 'corresponding rewards' for people who submit information about dissidents that 'is found to be true'. The platform accepts 'clues' about Chinese citizens involved in 'organising, planning, and implementing activities to split the country, undermine national unity, subvert state power and overthrow the socialist system'. It claims to offer rewards ranging from around £1,000 to more than £10,000 for those who make reports that lead to the prevention or punishment of acts 'that seriously endanger national security' in China. The UK Government has promised to crack down on Chinese pressure in British universities through its planned Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. The Home Office register, which will track foreign lobbyists, has been repeatedly delayed by Labour as it works out its stance on China. There is mounting expectation that China may be exempted from the 'enhanced tier' list when the scheme comes into force, which The Telegraph has been told will be this summer. The top threat level will require individuals and organisations to make extra disclosures about links they have with countries that pose the biggest risks to Britain's national security. In the meantime, academics have called on Ms Phillipson to fully implement new free speech laws to properly target Chinese influence on campus. In January, she announced that she would revive the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act in a watered-down version, with several key elements removed. Students will be barred from a new free speech complaints scheme under changes to the Tory laws planned by Ms Phillipson. The Education Secretary also told MPs she needed 'more time to consider' whether to implement a new duty on the Office for Students, the universities regulator, to scrutinise overseas funding for UK institutions. The Government is concerned that this may be overly burdensome for universities and first wants to monitor how well the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme tackles the issue. In their open letter, academics accused Ms Phillipson of planning to torpedo 'essential safeguards for our Chinese students', saying: 'We must not allow the Chinese government's systematic efforts to suppress free speech and academic freedom to take root in our universities.' A Department for Education spokesman said: 'We are committed to responding to foreign interference, including those actions which amount to transnational repression. We take protection of individuals' rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously, and any attempt by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated. 'As autonomous institutions, we also expect universities to have robust processes in place to prevent and tackle incidents of harassment and abuse on campus.' An Office for Students spokesman said: 'We take these concerns seriously. It's important that international students studying at English universities and colleges can speak freely without fear of repercussions from their home countries. 'As part of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, institutions will be obligated to secure and promote freedom of speech and academic freedom. This includes ensuring international students can exercise their free speech rights. 'In our 2024 draft guidance on the duty to secure freedom of speech, we said that if universities and colleges had international scholarship arrangements that had the effect of limiting free speech, they should take robust steps to address this, which could include terminating such arrangements.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
I was detained by Chinese police after classmate in Britain spied on me
In late 2022, Haoyu, a Chinese student at a top British university, saw a call flash up on his mobile phone from a withheld number. The male voice at the end of the line identified themselves as a member of Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), a network of student-led organisations which claimed to represent Chinese citizens studying abroad. They said they knew where Haoyu lived, where his parents lived, and that there would be repercussions for what he had done. Haoyu, whose real name has not been used in order to protect his identity, was among several hundred protesters who had gathered outside the Chinese embassy in London on November 27 2022 to demonstrate against president Xi Jinping's Covid policies. Known as the White Paper Movement, the rally was one of dozens organised across the world to show solidarity with rare anti-government protests that erupted in China several weeks earlier. Though ostensibly reacting to strict lockdown measures under Mr Xi, the demonstrations were also part of a broader protest against Chinese oppression. Wearing Covid masks to obscure their faces, protesters filled the street outside 49 Portland Place in Marylebone and held up blank sheets of paper – a symbol of China's pervasive censorship. Haoyu is one of several students who The Telegraph has spoken to about the real-life consequences of Chinese dissidence in the UK. Students described a similar pattern of receiving flak from their peers after speaking critically about China, before the situation escalated to more formal punishments. It comes amid growing fears that UK universities are failing to protect China-critical students for fear of jeopardising lucrative ties with Beijing. There are around 150,000 Chinese students enrolled at British universities, who collectively contribute around £2.3 billion in fees each year.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Germany's Merz could take 'more rational' approach to China
A future German coalition government could take a "more rational" approach to China policy, a former Chinese envoy to Germany says, pointing to likely chancellor Friedrich Merz's focus on the economy and trade. Centre-right election winner Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union, is trying to put together a coalition government with the centre-left Social Democrats. The chance of the China-critical Green Party securing a position in the new leadership, however, appears slim. According to Wu Ken, who was China's ambassador to Germany from 2019 to 2024, a Merz-led government could be expected to focus on the two countries' economic ties. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "This stems primarily from Merz's long-standing emphasis on the economy, particularly in trade," Wu said. "More measures to secure economic and trade relations between the two nations could be implemented ... I remain confident about the prospects." During his diplomatic posting, Wu had extensive exchanges with Merz and Social Democratic Party co-leader Lars Klingbeil, who is in talks to form a coalition government. "These two figures certainly do not see China in exactly the same way, especially in terms of how to perceive China and its development," Wu said. "However, one thing they agree on is that China is an indispensable partner to Germany." Wu Ken, who was China's ambassador to Germany from 2019 to 2024, is expecting "positive energy" in relations under the new German leadership. Photo: Handout alt=Wu Ken, who was China's ambassador to Germany from 2019 to 2024, is expecting "positive energy" in relations under the new German leadership. Photo: Handout> Wu anticipated a fresh outlook for China-Germany relations under the new government after outgoing Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, of the Green Party, leaves office. "Whichever of the two parties sends someone to be foreign minister, I think it will bring a new look - that is, positive energy - in terms of cooperation and advancing the relationship with China," Wu said. On China relations, he expected a new Merz administration to try to strike a balance between the approach of the outgoing Olaf Scholz government and that of Angela Merkel, when trade and economic ties served as an anchor for ties between the two nations. "Her approach ensured that the Sino-German relationship remained steady and continued to develop smoothly over the long term," Wu said. Relations between China and the European Union have been strained in recent years, including over Beijing's ties with Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine, and alleged Chinese industrial overcapacity, unfair subsidies and the large trade deficit. Wu said ideological factors were increasingly part of the bilateral relationship and that Germany's stance on China since 2023 - as a partner, competitor and systemic rival - was "perplexing". "In my view, this strategy has not only failed to advance Sino-German relations but has, in some areas, hindered the progress of bilateral ties, especially on trade and the economy," he said. "These classifications seem to lack a clear basis and rationale, fragmenting China into three segments without clear distinctions. Even I, as the ambassador to Germany, found myself uncertain of when I was considered a partner, a competitor, or an adversary." Relations have been strained between China and the European Union. Photo: Reuters alt=Relations have been strained between China and the European Union. Photo: Reuters> The Greens, one of three parties in Scholz's last coalition government and holder of the foreign ministry portfolio, were the driving force behind Berlin's first-ever and rigorously worded China strategy in July 2023. The strategy emphasised the need to de-risk, diversify and reduce Germany's reliance on China. It also called for tariffs to be applied - including EU levies on Chinese electric vehicles - to counteract the influx of inexpensive Chinese imports into the region. The Greens also regard Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and the broader global conflict with authoritarian regimes like China as catalysts for a strategic realignment of the country's economic security, trade and supply chains. From 2016 to 2023, China was Germany's largest trading partner. But last year the United States overtook China in this position as German exports to China fell by 7.6 per cent. Despite this shift, China has remained an important trading partner as Germany's economy contracted in the past two years, adding to urgency for the new government to address economic challenges. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
South China Morning Post
10-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why Germany's Merz could take ‘more rational' approach to China
A future German coalition government could take a 'more rational' approach to China policy, a former Chinese envoy to Germany says, pointing to likely chancellor Friedrich Merz's focus on the economy and trade. Advertisement Centre-right election winner Merz , leader of the Christian Democratic Union, is trying to put together a coalition government with the centre-left Social Democrats. The chance of the China-critical Green Party securing a position in the new leadership, however, appears slim. According to Wu Ken, who was China's ambassador to Germany from 2019 to 2024, a Merz-led government could be expected to focus on the two countries' economic ties. 'This stems primarily from Merz's long-standing emphasis on the economy, particularly in trade,' Wu said. 'More measures to secure economic and trade relations between the two nations could be implemented … I remain confident about the prospects.' During his diplomatic posting, Wu had extensive exchanges with Merz and Social Democratic Party co-leader Lars Klingbeil, who is in talks to form a coalition government. Advertisement 'These two figures certainly do not see China in exactly the same way, especially in terms of how to perceive China and its development,' Wu said. 'However, one thing they agree on is that China is an indispensable partner to Germany.'
