Latest news with #UK-ChinaTransparency
NDTV
05-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Chinese Students In UK Forced To Spy On Classmates, Report Claims
A new report by the UK-China Transparency (UKCT) think tank has raised concerns that Chinese students enrolled at UK universities are being urged to monitor and report on their peers. The alleged surveillance is said to be part of efforts to stifle conversations around topics sensitive to the Chinese government. The report, based on surveys of academics specialising in China studies, also claims that Chinese officials have warned university lecturers not to address controversial subjects in their classes. These revelations surface just days after new legislation took effect in the UK, aiming to reinforce academic freedom and free speech across higher education institutions. The report says: "Our China studies system is subject to widespread Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence, interference and harassment. These activities are a source of distortion in the field, its expert body and their output. This in turn likely has downstream effects for the knowledge supplied to government, the media, think tanks, businesses, etc., although we have not investigated this in depth." It further notes that financial ties between UK institutions and Chinese entities may be a contributing factor: "Some expressions of these problems appear to be caused or exacerbated by financial dependence on China. In this respect the issues in China studies are a sub-crisis of the broader financial crisis in the HE (higher education) sector." The Chinese Embassy in London rejected the report's claims, labelling them "groundless and absurd," and stated that China respects freedom of speech in the UK and globally. The report's release closely follows the implementation of new UK legislation aimed at strengthening academic freedom and free speech in higher education. Under this law, universities are now obligated to actively safeguard academic freedom, especially in the context of international collaborations. Institutions that fail to comply could face multi-million-pound penalties. The timing of the report has intensified concerns over foreign influence on academic environments and the protection of open dialogue in UK universities.
Epoch Times
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Chinese Academic Repression Distorts the UK's China Studies, Survey Finds
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is distorting the UK's China studies system with widespread influence, interference, and harassment, a survey found. In a report published Aug. 3, London-based charity UK-China Transparency (UKCT) said it found strong evidence that CCP influence in British universities is 'shaping careers and disincentivising certain research and other activity that might be negatively received by the CCP.'
News18
04-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Classroom Spies? Chinese Students In UK Told To Monitor Peers, Here's Why
Last Updated: Chinese students in the UK are pressured to spy on classmates to suppress sensitive discussions, says UK-China Transparency. The Chinese Embassy in London called it "groundless." If you're a student in the UK, there's a possibility you might be spied upon—not by a government agency, but by a fellow student. A new report has suggested that Chinese students studying at UK universities are being pressured to spy on their classmates, in what is being described as an attempt to suppress discussions on topics sensitive to the Chinese government. Lecturers at several universities have reportedly been warned by Chinese government officials not to discuss certain issues, according to a survey conducted by UK-China Transparency (UKCT), a think tank focused on China studies, as reported by BBC. However, the Chinese Embassy in London dismissed the findings, calling the report 'groundless and absurd." The report comes just days after a new law came into force, requiring UK universities to actively promote academic freedom and free speech—even in cases where institutions have formal agreements with foreign governments. The higher education regulator—the Office for Students (OfS)—has stated that freedom of speech and academic freedom are 'fundamental" to university education. It warned that universities could face fines running into millions if they fail to uphold these values, BBC reported. What Are These Sensitive Topics? China, which is known to suppress dissent within its borders, has refused to acknowledge international allegations of ethnic cleansing in the Xinjiang region and criticism over Covid-19 origin. These are among the issues the Chinese government does not want discussed in classrooms abroad. Other sensitive topics include those related to science, politics, humanities, and the global rise of Chinese technology firms, according to the UKCT. Without naming China, UK Minister of State for Skills Jacqui Smith said that any attempt by a foreign state to 'intimidate, harass or harm" individuals in the UK will not be tolerated." Calling academic freedom 'non-negotiable" in UK institutions, she said the new legislation makes that stance 'explicitly clear." 'We are also working directly with the Office for Students to support universities in safeguarding free speech and tackling any form of harassment on campus," she added. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
04-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
How Beijing Is Using Its Students To Control Anti-China Narrative In UK
Beijing: Beijing is reportedly using academics and students of Chinese studies in the United Kingdom to suppress the discussion on issues that are sensitive to the Chinese government. According to a survey of UK universities by a transparency group, Chinese academics and students are subject to harassment and surveillance to pressure them into spying on their classmates. The f indings by UK-China Transparency (UKCT) show that, in some cases, university administrators and management are actively involved in the repression of academic freedom, reinforcing the distortion. How China Is Controlling The Narrative The report presents evidence that there is a strategic denial of visas to scholars involved in sensitive research by Chinese authorities, disincentivising such research. It is also found that academics' family members in China are being threatened, warned or harassed by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities because of their work in the UK. Several academics reported they were subjected to various forms of serious harassment. One reported being subjected to online bullying, while another said a visiting scholar from China told him, "We're watching you". Some academics reported that several Chinese studies students of Chinese nationality confided in them that CCP officials ask them to spy on their fellow students. Evidence also reportedly showed that Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (groups present at most UK universities and formally linked to the CCP) are vectors for surveillance and repression. China studies students of all nationalities told academics that they were not comfortable speaking freely about issues the CCP is sensitive about in class or pursuing their interest in those issues moving forward, the report said. CCP officials have also reportedly threatened several university administrators with reference to an academic's work and the university's financial dependence on China. Academics have been denied funding because their research might upset the CCP. The report found that in some cases, university administrators and management are actively involved in the repression of academic freedom, reinforcing the distortion. This appears to be motivated by financial dependencies on Chinese student fees. The findings are based on 50 responses to a questionnaire circulated last year among China studies scholars working at UK universities. Nearly two-thirds - 64 per cent - of respondents said their universities' financial dependency on international students from China affected administrators' "sense of the importance of relationships with the Chinese government". Meanwhile, 16 per cent felt that it was not the case. Timing Of The Report The report came days after a new law came into force in the UK, placing more responsibility on universities to uphold academic freedom and free speech. The new guidance states that universities may be breaching rules by having partnerships with foreign governments that require academic staff to pass ideological tests - for example, by hosting Confucius Institutes. The legislation, which came into force last week, states that universities should do more to actively promote academic freedom and freedom of speech, including in cases where institutions have agreements in place with other countries. China's Reply The Chinese embassy in London has called the report "groundless and absurd", saying that Beijing respects freedom of speech in the UK and elsewhere. "The relevant report is completely groundless and absurd. China has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, and respects freedom of speech and academic freedom in the UK and other countries. China consistently requires its citizens, including overseas students, to abide by local laws and regulations," a Chinese embassy spokesperson said, according to the Guardian report. "The relevant parties should remain committed to actions that promote educational and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK, rather than the opposite," they added.
