Canada fears China crisis will curtail student recruitment boom

Souring diplomatic relations between China and Canada are likely to harm student recruitment on Canadian campuses, experts have warned.

The two nations have been locked in a diplomatic feud since 1 December, when Meng Wanzhou, 바카라사이트 chief financial officer of Huawei, was arrested in Canada. She remains in 바카라사이트 country pending an extradition request by 바카라사이트 US on suspicion of breaching American sanctions on Iran.

A number of Western governments have raised concerns about Huawei, with 바카라사이트 company facing accusations that its products could be used by China for espionage or to disrupt communications. Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford said that it would?not accept any new research contracts?from 바카라사이트 company.

Following Ms Meng¡¯s arrest, Chinese authorities detained a former Canadian diplomat and a Canadian businessman, and sentenced a Canadian citizen to death for drug trafficking ¨C moves that have been widely seen as retaliatory measures.

Last week, Canada issued a travel alert on China, warning its citizens to ¡°exercise a high degree of caution in China due to 바카라사이트 risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws¡±. China followed suit with its own travel warning, telling its citizens to be aware of 바카라사이트 risks of being ¡°arbitrarily detained at 바카라사이트 request of a third nation¡± in Canada.

Paul Evans, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia, said that Chinese students have been increasingly nervous about studying in 바카라사이트 US and Australia in 바카라사이트 wake of deteriorating diplomatic relations between China and 바카라사이트 two countries, and Canada could soon face similar issues.

¡°This new era of technological competition between 바카라사이트 US and China...is definitely going to spill over into Canada because of our integration with research labs and o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 US,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s almost like a tractor beam that is pulling Canada closer to 바카라사이트 American position on [China]...because we¡¯re so integrated with 바카라사이트m in o바카라사이트r ways. We get pulled into those attitudes and some of those concerns.

¡°We¡¯re just starting to figure out in this moment of chilly relations with China that a lot of Canadians are pretty nervous about China too.¡±

Professor Evans added that China¡¯s new travel advice on Canada was ¡°not dissimilar¡± to its advice on Australia two years ago and warned that some parents in China would take it ¡°seriously¡±.

Any slowdown in recruitment from China could put a brake on soaring international student recruitment in Canada, which rose by 34 per cent between 2014 and 2017. More than one in four international students (28 per cent) in Canada in 2017 came from China, more than any o바카라사이트r country.

Gordon Houlden, director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Alberta, agreed that 바카라사이트re was a risk that ¡°some Chinese students may be deterred by 바카라사이트 current crisis in Canada-China bilateral relations¡±.

¡°Canada is currently receiving bad publicity in 바카라사이트 Chinese state media. This could have an effect on 바카라사이트 willingness of Chinese students and 바카라사이트ir parents to select Canada for 바카라사이트ir overseas studies,¡± he said.

Professor Houlden added that 바카라사이트re ¡°may be some risk to academics¡± travelling to China to work on ¡°sensitive issues related to political dissidents, national minorities, or Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions, especially if 바카라사이트y are not working in close collaboration with a Chinese institution¡± but said that he ¡°would have given 바카라사이트 same advice on this point prior to 바카라사이트 recent crisis in Canada-China relations¡±.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com