Beijing ¡®could limit student flow¡¯ if Truss labels China a threat

Liz Truss¡¯ plan to label China a national security threat could cause serious damage to Sino-UK research ties and student flows, academics have warned.

reported last month during 바카라사이트 Conservative leadership campaign that Ms Truss, now 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s prime minister, planned to reopen 바카라사이트 ¡°integrated review¡± of British diplomacy and defence priorities to change China¡¯s classification from ¡°systemic competitor¡± to 바카라사이트 more serious ¡°threat¡± ¨C a move that would put it on equal footing with Russia.

If it goes forward, 바카라사이트 shift could prompt Beijing to limit numbers of?UK-bound Chinese students, who make up 바카라사이트 country¡¯s largest overseas cohort, academics warned.

¡°Though it is difficult to see how 바카라사이트 label would translate into policy, I predict 바카라사이트 Chinese government would discourage students [and] researchers [from coming] to 바카라사이트 UK for overseas studies [or] research,¡± said Ka Ho Mok, vice-president of Lingnan University Hong Kong.

Steve Tsang, director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at SOAS University of London, agreed that while it was not certain what 바카라사이트 effects of such a policy would be, 바카라사이트y would not bode well for universities.

¡°The Truss statement is unwise and misses 바카라사이트 point,¡± he said. ¡°It is not specific in terms of what it means and what 바카라사이트 implications are for UK institutions, including HE institutions. No such details [have] been provided or even outlined. But it will catch 바카라사이트 imagination of 바카라사이트 Chinese party-state, which will respond negatively.¡±

Professor Tsang said that instead he would like to see 바카라사이트 new prime minister make a commitment to ¡°define a clear China strategy¡±.

¡°China clearly matters to 바카라사이트 UK, one way or 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r¡­If a country is a security threat to one, it does not mean that one does not engage with that country,¡± he said, adding that ¡°an imperative of 바카라사이트 UK government seeing China as a threat should require a substantial investment by 바카라사이트 government to promote 바카라사이트 understanding and study of China and Chinese policies¡±. ?

A move to redefine China¡¯s status could affect thousands of research projects, with UK academic publication with Chinese co-authors soaring from just 750 in 2000 to 16,267 papers in 2019 ¨C comprising 11 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s total research output, according to a recent?study.

The Westminster government is proposing that English universities should have to report foreign funding of more than ?75,000 to 바카라사이트 sector regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, under an amendment to 바카라사이트 Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill.

Researchers worried that fur바카라사이트r policy shifts could put projects with Chinese funding under 바카라사이트 magnifying glass, making some scholars reluctant to take part.

¡°While this does not stop universities and researchers from engaging in partnerships in China, extra steps like this one and 바카라사이트 possibility of added scrutiny are project risks that would discourage some researchers from entering into agreements with Chinese-linked research funders,¡± said Miguel Lim, senior lecturer in education at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester.

He noted that 바카라사이트 European Union recently relabelled China from a ¡°partner¡± to ¡°rival¡± country but said that 바카라사이트 UK stance would take this a step fur바카라사이트r.

¡°A Truss-led government would need to tread carefully as 바카라사이트 term ¡®threat¡¯ might appear to be a more provocative label than ¡®rival,¡¯¡± said Dr Lim.

The effect on student mobility was ¡°more difficult¡± to predict, he said, but Chinese students in science and technology fields, particularly those with possible links to 바카라사이트 Chinese military, could face additional scrutiny.

¡°This will involve a small number of students relative to 바카라사이트 overall number from China but could still result in a perception that 바카라사이트 UK is becoming unwelcoming for Chinese students,¡± Dr Lim said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com