Classroom Spies? Chinese Students In UK Told To Monitor Peers, Here's Why
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.
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