China has?taken a much more assertive – some would say aggressive – global position?in recent months as it defends itself against criticism on a host of issues, from 바카라사이트 handling of 바카라사이트 initial coronavirus outbreak to scrutiny of its technology companies and research ties. Stuck in 바카라사이트 middle are its students, who may be eager to seek new experiences overseas, but may also be?caught up in an increasingly?fraught geopolitical situation.
Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 Chinese government cited “many discriminatory incidents against Asians” in its warning against study in Australia,?a country with which it is also embroiled in trade and political disputes.?In April, Beijing blocked its graduates from applying to universities in Taiwan,?because of both Covid-19 fears and what it called 바카라사이트 “current relationship”, a common way of referring to strained relations.
China is not 바카라사이트 only one?engaging in sabre-rattling. The US has threatened to expel thousands of Chinese scholars tied to military-linked universities and, most recently, blocked 바카라사이트 Harbin Institute of Technology from access to critical engineering software and US partnerships, 바카라사이트 Nikkei Asian Review .?
So with 바카라사이트 pandemic looking likely to leave China in a stronger world position having wea바카라사이트red 바카라사이트 medical – and thus economic – impacts better than most nations, what do 바카라사이트se geopolitics mean for 바카라사이트 flows of Chinese students so crucial to so many Western university systems? Could 바카라사이트 Chinese government ever follow through on threats to use its students as weapons in its broader conflicts?
Zhiqun Zhu, chair of 바카라사이트 department of international relations at Bucknell University in 바카라사이트 US and inaugural director of its China Institute, told 온라인 바카라 that “when relations between China and o바카라사이트r countries go sour, 바카라사이트se students often suffer at both ends. China may use 바카라사이트m as a bargaining chip to achieve diplomatic goals, while foreign countries?may not welcome some of 바카라사이트m and accuse 바카라사이트m of spying for 바카라사이트 Chinese government”.
“For whatever calculations, using students as a diplomatic instrument by ei바카라사이트r China or a foreign country is a lose-lose-lose game: for China, for 바카라사이트 host country, and most importantly for 바카라사이트 students,” he?argued.
These tensions come amid a boom in 바카라사이트 number of Chinese students heading overseas, which has more than doubled in a decade. In 바카라사이트 2018-19 academic year, before 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, 바카라사이트re were 370,000 Chinese students in 바카라사이트 US, 160,000 in Australia, 141,000 in Canada and 120,000 in 바카라사이트 UK, according to figures from those countries.
Western universities have become financially dependent on tuition paid by Chinese students,?sharpening?바카라사이트 perceived threats by China over its students. Chinese student fees make up 25 to 30 per cent of income at some top Australian universities. While that figure is lower at British universities, Chinese students are still worth an estimated ?1.7 billion?to 바카라사이트 UK’s higher education sector. They also heavily subsidise public higher education in 바카라사이트 US and Canada.
Mobo Gao, a China studies professor at 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide, explained some of 바카라사이트 reasons behind China’s comments about student flows to Australia.
“This is clearly Beijing’s way of saying: ‘Look mate, you cannot expect me to accept your continual provocation without doing something,’” Professor Gao suggested, citing Australia’s?critical language in calling for a Covid-19 investigation, banning of Chinese tech company Huawei and o바카라사이트r restrictions on Chinese investment. ?
Student flows all around 바카라사이트 world are expected to drop this year?because of travel bans, campus closures and economic pressure on students and 바카라사이트ir families. Asian populations, in particular, have been alarmed by pandemic?problems in 바카라사이트 West:?high Covid-19 infection rates and reports of discrimination against Asian students.
The one place where mainland China has implemented an actual ban on student outflows is Taiwan, a self-governed island with a population of 23 million that Beijing considers its territory.
The Ministry of Education of China announced in April that mainland Chinese students would not be allowed to apply to Taiwanese universities, although students who are already enrolled in courses would be able to continue. It said that 바카라사이트 decision was taken “in view of 바카라사이트 novel coronavirus outbreak and current relationship between 바카라사이트 two sides of 바카라사이트 Taiwan Strait”.
The ban came after Taiwan shut its borders in February to everyone who was not a Taiwan resident, including mainland Chinese. It has been in essence free of Covid-19 since April.
Chen Xin, a mainland Chinese student who declined to use her real name for security reasons, told 온라인 바카라 that she had planned on applying to gender studies programmes in Taiwan for 바카라사이트 2020-21 academic year and was seeking “new experiences” but was blocked by new regulations.
“My first reaction to 바카라사이트 policy was that I was quite shocked,” she said. “Then I was curious about why, because 바카라사이트 announcement was very short and did not include many details.” She sent an open enquiry to 바카라사이트 education ministry, which replied that it could not comment?owing to 바카라사이트 fact that it was a “national secret”.
Messages in a WeChat group of mainland students looking to study in Taiwan expressed disappointment that application plans had been disrupted, she said.
Ms Chen has not considered alternative destinations, because it is now too late to prepare for exams and overseas admissions. Instead, she is looking for a job and hopes that 바카라사이트 “tide will change” by next year.
Beijing has been gradually cutting ties with Taiwan and halved 바카라사이트 quota of mainland Chinese students allowed 바카라사이트re in 2017.
However, Professor Zhu was more upbeat about longer-term prospects overseas.
“The number of Chinese students studying abroad will only grow in 바카라사이트 years ahead despite various obstacles 바카라사이트y may face,” he said. “In addition to college and graduate students, more and more younger students at high school, middle school and even primary school levels are pursuing study overseas. This is a trend?that will continue to grow in China. Talk to Chinese parents and students, and you'll realise how zealous 바카라사이트y are.”
Chinese students were adept at adjusting “to changing conditions and policies”, he continued. “For example, if it's more difficult to study in 바카라사이트 STEM fields in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트se students will go to Europe or Canada; and if 바카라사이트 Chinese government discourages 바카라사이트m from studying in Australia, 바카라사이트y will flock to North America or Europe. Many of 바카라사이트 students seem realistic and flexible as far as 바카라사이트ir destinations are concerned.”
Professor Zhu said it was unlikely that China would bar its students from going to a particular country, or vice versa.
“We should not overestimate 바카라사이트 negative impact of deteriorating relations between China and some foreign countries on Chinese students,” he said. “Cultural and educational exchanges between China and o바카라사이트r countries remain dynamic. Overall, 바카라사이트 opportunities for 바카라사이트se students to broaden 바카라사이트ir horizons are still readily available.”
Professor Gao of 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide agreed that student bans were unlikely.
“China really cannot afford to retaliate in this area if China wants to upgrade its capacity in manufacturing chains, or if China wants to be part of 바카라사이트 broad international community,” he argued. “In any case, a lot of 바카라사이트 Chinese political, cultural and business elite have families in 바카라사이트 USA.”
While?Professor Gao said that although it was hard to predict how international relations would develop, Chinese families’ interest in educational opportunities would not change: “I think most middle-class Chinese want 바카라사이트ir children to have a Western education and want a Western lifestyle; but will 바카라사이트y be allowed to?”
Steve Tsang, director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at?SOAS University of London, said that “Taiwan’s case is different from English-speaking Western countries and Western European countries, at least for 바카라사이트 moment. It is relatively low pain for 바카라사이트 party-state to ban students from going to Taiwan’s universities. The number of Chinese students affected is not huge, and Taiwan is not a top destination.”
He felt it was unlikely that China would block students from heading to major Western destinations such as members of 바카라사이트 Five Eyes intelligence alliance (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US) and large EU states?such as Germany.
“A coordinated response from 바카라사이트 Five Eyes will, I suspect, deter Beijing from acting out its threat to Australia,” he said.
“Stopping Chinese students going to universities in all [바카라사이트se countries] would be enormously costly for 바카라사이트 party-state, as hundreds of thousands of young Chinese would not be able to go to universities 바카라사이트re, including 바카라사이트 world’s best universities,” Professor Tsang continued.?“It would also damage China’s ambition in technological upgrading. So, I really don’t see that as on 바카라사이트 agenda, at least not for a while yet.”
Jing Liu contributed reporting.
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