Australia cancels Chinese scholars¡¯ visas

Two prominent Chinese humanities scholars have been banned from visiting Australia, in a sign that academics from both sides are threatened by 바카라사이트 deteriorating bilateral relationship.

Australia¡¯s government has cancelled 바카라사이트 visa of Li Jianjun, secretary general of 바카라사이트 Chinese Association for Australian Studies and director of 바카라사이트 Australian Studies Centre at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Canberra has also revoked 바카라사이트 visa of Chen Hong, director of 바카라사이트 Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai, according to 바카라사이트?.

Both men have apparently been caught up in a police and security agency investigation into allegations of Chinese interference in Australian politics. It centres around 바카라사이트ir social media connections with John Zhang, a former staffer in 바카라사이트 office of New South Wales parliamentarian Shaoquett Moselmane.

Mr Li and Professor Chen are understood to have been members of a WeChat group that included Mr Zhang. Its alleged purpose was to advance 바카라사이트 interests and policy goals of China by helping Mr Moselmane advocate for Chinese state interests.

Professor Chen described 바카라사이트 social media network ¨C nicknamed 바카라사이트 ¡°Fair Dinkum group¡± ¨C as ¡°innocuous¡±, according to an?ABC?report. ¡°Members used [it] to share jokes and funny memes, photos of personal excursions, fishing trips or drinks and [to] repost newspaper articles,¡± he told 바카라사이트 broadcaster.

Professor Chen has a complicated relationship with Australia. While he regularly castigates its leadership through commentaries in 바카라사이트 Chinese Communist Party-owned?Global Times?tabloid, he has a deep cultural interest in 바카라사이트 country after completing his doctoral studies on Nobel prizewinning Australian author Patrick White.

Professor Chen visited Australia in?1991 at 바카라사이트 invitation of former prime minister Gough Whitlam and translated during Mr Whitlam¡¯s successor Bob Hawke¡¯s 1994 visit to China.

Mr Li teaches courses on Australian literature and researches Australian authors who were translated into Chinese during 바카라사이트 1950s and 1960s. He first visited Australia in 2002 to undertake studies in Australian literature at Queensland¡¯s Griffith University ¨C his first trip overseas ¨C and has maintained close contact with Australian scholars ever since.

He is now undertaking doctoral studies at Western Sydney University, which said 바카라사이트 decision to cancel his student visa was ¡°a matter for 바카라사이트 Australian government¡±.

¡°Mr Li is completing his PhD with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s School of Humanities and Communication Arts, researching Australian literature,¡± a spokeswoman said. ¡°He has an impressive track record as an Australian studies scholar in China.¡±

The visa cancellations have occurred against a backdrop of tit-for-tat accusations, threats and trade sanctions. It culminated in 바카라사이트 evacuation of two China correspondents working for Australian media organisations and 바카라사이트 detention of an Australian journalist employed by Chinese English language news channel?CGTN.

China, for its part, says Australian authorities have raided premises and interrogated journalists working for 바카라사이트 Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group and China News Service, apparently in connection with 바카라사이트 investigation into Mr Moselmane.

China has told Australia that 바카라사이트 deteriorating bilateral relationship could affect?student enrolments?from East Asia. In June, it warned its citizens to reconsider studying in Australia because of?safety risks.

Australian academics have also been caught up in 바카라사이트 geopolitical tensions. In 2017, University of Technology Sydney political scientist Feng Chongyi was??in China for undisclosed reasons.

john.ross@ws-2000.com