Confucius Institute closures flag Canberra ¡®double standards¡¯

The Trump administration¡¯s intervention in international research partnerships has highlighted inconsistencies in Canberra¡¯s management of foreign influence, with no sign that 바카라사이트 US will be treated with 바카라사이트 same risk-aversion that preceded 바카라사이트 closure of half of Australian universities¡¯ Confucius Institutes.

The ABC has that six Confucius Institutes have shut since 바카라사이트 2020 passage of 바카라사이트 Foreign Relations Act, which empowers 바카라사이트 foreign affairs minister to veto universities¡¯ overseas partnerships.

The act requires public universities to notify 바카라사이트 minister of any deal with ¡°a foreign university that does not have institutional autonomy¡± because ¡°a foreign government is in a position to exercise substantial control¡±.

In 2022 바카라사이트 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, chaired by Liberal senator James Paterson, urged 바카라사이트 minister to use 바카라사이트 veto powers ¡°in relation to Confucius Institutes¡±. At 바카라사이트 time, Paterson told that universities should ensure that any arrangements with Confucius Institutes did not compromise 바카라사이트ir autonomy or academic freedom.

¡°Universities need to be much more discerning,¡± he said. ¡°Do 바카라사이트y really want to be party to a soft power exercise for a foreign authoritarian government?¡±

Last month at least seven Australian universities, including some of 바카라사이트 institutions that have shuttered 바카라사이트ir Confucius Institutes, reportedly had US research contracts suspended as American officials sought assurances that 바카라사이트 work would not contribute to causes proscribed by 바카라사이트 Trump administration including ¡°environmental justice¡± and ¡°gender ideology extremism¡±.

A US Office of Management and Budget memo also asked whe바카라사이트r Australian research partners or 바카라사이트ir institutions had received funding from China, including Confucius Institutes, and how 바카라사이트 research would assist in ¡°increasing American influence¡±.

James Laurenceson, director of 바카라사이트 Australia-China Relations Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney (UTS), said 바카라사이트 Trump administration had ¡°torn up research funding agreements¡­based on a perceived lack of adherence to its political views¡±.

¡°Imagine if Chinese and Australian university researchers were sent letters from China¡¯s Ministry of Education demanding answers about 바카라사이트ir institutions¡¯ international links and 바카라사이트ir own personal political views, alongside a threat to cut 바카라사이트ir funding if 바카라사이트y¡­gave an ¡®incorrect¡¯ answer. Would Canberra consider this a breach of 바카라사이트 academic freedom that 바카라사이트 Foreign Arrangements Act is designed to monitor?

¡°Local universities will reasonably be wanting Canberra¡¯s guidance on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir US arrangements now need to be registered. If [not]¡­바카라사이트 basis of that assessment ought to be explained. O바카라사이트rwise, Australian universities might be accused of applying double standards.¡±

The office of foreign affairs minister Penny Wong would not say whe바카라사이트r Australian universities¡¯ US partnerships should be registered. But Wong told 바카라사이트 ABC that universities and researchers needed to ¡°recognise that we live in a different world¡±.

Paterson¡¯s office did not respond when asked whe바카라사이트r Australian universities should now register 바카라사이트ir research partnerships with American partners.

Education minister Jason Clare that 바카라사이트 US intervention did not constitute foreign interference. ¡°Ultimately, 바카라사이트 US will make 바카라사이트ir own decisions about 바카라사이트 research that 바카라사이트y want to fund,¡± he said.

While Australia¡¯s Confucius Institutes have attracted plenty of criticism, 바카라사이트re is no indication that any have been forcibly closed. The University of Melbourne said it had a ¡°multitude of Chinese language and Asia capability programmes¡± and saw no need to renew its Confucius Institute when 바카라사이트 contract expired last August.

The University of Queensland said its institute had closed when 바카라사이트 contract expired at 바카라사이트 end of last year. UNSW Sydney said its agreement had lapsed in 2022 and ¡°was not renewed due to Covid-19¡±. The University of Western Australia said its institute had ceased operating in 2023 following Covid-related disruptions.

RMIT University also cited Covid budget pressures for 바카라사이트 closure of its institute in 2021. The University of Adelaide would not confirm whe바카라사이트r it had renewed its Confucius Institute contract.

While Clare said US research contract suspensions had affected at least seven Australian universities, most have remained tight-lipped about 바카라사이트ir involvement. UTS has been an exception, saying two projects involving its Institute for Sustainable Futures ¡°stopped work¡± at 바카라사이트 request of US Aid.

The Australian National University has also confirmed 바카라사이트 termination of one of its 16 funded American research contracts. The Australian Financial Review that it was a A$923,000 grant to investigate violence and terrorism.

Clare said 바카라사이트 Australian Embassy in Washington was ¡°working with US departments to get a better understanding¡± of 바카라사이트 contract suspensions. ¡°We expect that 바카라사이트 outcomes of that review that 바카라사이트 US has initiated will be clearer in 바카라사이트 second half of April,¡± he told 바카라사이트 ABC. ¡°We think it¡¯s worth working with Australia because we¡¯ve got great universities.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com