Academics and students of Chinese studies in Britain are facing harassment, surveillance, and pressure to self-censor due to fear of disrupting funding, a survey by UK-China Transparency has found. The report coincides with new government guidance stating universities may breach rules by having partnerships with foreign governments requiring academic staff to pass ideological tests.
David Tobin, a lecturer in east Asian studies at the University of Sheffield, said the report addressed “long-term pervasive issues in British universities that I’ve encountered since 2007”. He shared an experience where Chinese consulate representatives and state media journalists visited his workplace, observing sensitive material on his computer screen without supervision. Tobin emphasized the challenges academics researching sensitive topics face: “The key challenge academics like myself researching subjects that are considered sensitive by the CCP is that our access to the field is blocked if we write about anything that the party state does not approve of”.
Some academics reported being told by university administrators that relations with China were a factor in decision-making, with 22% of respondents confirming this and 10% believing it to be the case. One academic stopped teaching after experiencing harassment from a visiting Chinese scholar who whispered “we’re watching you”. Another scholar faced severe online harassment.
A respondent revealed Chinese students had confided in them about being asked to spy on campus events by Chinese police. Others reported surveillance was omnipresent, with students being interviewed by officials upon returning to China. According to Amnesty International’s research, Chinese authorities have been known to monitor overseas students, target their families, and pressure them to self-censor.
The survey results suggest the academic landscape is mixed, with some institutions supporting scholars working on sensitive topics while others do not. Nearly two-thirds of respondents believed their university’s financial dependency on international students from China affected administrators’ relationships with the Chinese government. A Chinese embassy spokesperson dismissed the report as “groundless and absurd”, claiming China respects freedom of speech and academic freedom in the UK and other countries.
Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director, emphasized the need for universities and host governments to protect students’ rights and prevent transnational repression. “Universities in Europe and North America are often unaware of, and ill-equipped to deal with, transnational repression and the resulting chilling effect taking place on their campuses,” she said.