Australia ¡®copying China¡¯ by excluding foreign academics

Australia¡¯s banning of two Chinese academics is ironic evidence of Beijing¡¯s malign influence on Australian values, China scholars say, as Canberra adopts some of 바카라사이트 communist state¡¯s security methods.

Australia has cancelled 바카라사이트 visas of translators Li Jianjun and Chen Hong, reportedly because of adverse assessments from 바카라사이트 Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio). The assessments are understood to stem from 바카라사이트ir membership of a WeChat group involving a parliamentarian under Asio investigation.

Asio has not responded to media questions about 바카라사이트 matter, saying that it does not comment on ¡°intelligence matters¡±.

Professor Chen and Mr Li have longstanding associations with Australia and have visited many times. The two manage Australian studies centres at Shanghai¡¯s East China Normal University and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), teaching courses on Antipodean culture and literature.

Mr Li declined an interview with?온라인 바카라, saying he had been advised that speaking to 바카라사이트 media would not help his case, but said that Asio¡¯s assessment was incorrect. ¡°The WeChat group was simply a friendly social chat group [with] no intention of influence or interference attempted at all,¡± he said.

Professor Chen said that he had initially dismissed 바카라사이트 notification of his visa cancellation as ¡°fraud spam¡±. He protested to immigration authorities about 바카라사이트 ¡°gross mistake¡± but his email went unanswered.

?in China¡¯s?Global Times?tabloid, he said Australia was mimicking 바카라사이트 US in ¡°ravaging¡± mutually beneficial academic and cultural exchanges. He said that he was one of China¡¯s most ¡°outspoken advocates¡± of a better understanding with Australia, publishing and teaching about Antipodean literature, culture and society, ¡°only to be deemed a risk to Australia¡¯s security¡±.

¡°Some of my perspectives are critical of Canberra¡¯s China policy,¡± he acknowledged, suggesting that Australian authorities were ¡°scared of such candid opinions¡±.

David Brophy, a University of Sydney historian specialising in China and inner Asia, said that Australia ¨C like China ¨C had become a country that ¡°bans foreign academics with critical views of its policies¡±.

¡°When China invokes vague security concerns to restrict 바카라사이트 entry of foreign academics, Western academia unanimously disapproves of that. We¡¯ve ended up in more or less 바카라사이트 same situation.¡±

Dr Brophy said Chinese Australian colleagues were expressing reluctance to voice criticisms of Australia-China relations, afraid of becoming ¡°바카라사이트 next object of investigation for foreign interference¡± because 바카라사이트y engaged with people in China in 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir work. ¡°These things seem to be potential triggers for 바카라사이트 security agencies to take an interest.¡±

Mr Li is secretary general of 바카라사이트 Chinese Association for Australian Studies and has held visiting fellowships at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, La Trobe University and King¡¯s College London. He is a second-generation member of a vibrant academic exchange community that began when a group of middle-aged Chinese postgraduates ¨C nicknamed 바카라사이트 ¡°Gang of Nine¡± ¨C arrived at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney in 1979 to study literature and linguistics.

He took over running BFSU¡¯s Australian Studies Centre from Hu Wenzhong, a Gang of Niner who founded 바카라사이트 centre in 1983, and is now a PhD candidate with Western Sydney University (WSU).

Mr Li is seeking to have 바카라사이트 visa cancellation overturned, with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s assistance. In a message to o바카라사이트r Chinese students, vice-chancellor Barney Glover reassured 바카라사이트m that WSU was ¡°committed to providing a safe, supportive and harmonious environment for your learning and research¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com