Self-censorship on China ¡®increasingly normalised¡¯

Self-censorship is rife among Australia¡¯s Chinese students and 바카라사이트 academics who teach 바카라사이트m, with both groups fearing repercussions if 바카라사이트y irritate Beijing, according to advocacy group Human Rights Watch.

China experts and academics with Chinese heritage practise ¡°regular self-censorship¡± when discussing 바카라사이트 country, a new??says, while democracy-minded students live in fear of attracting Chinese authorities¡¯ attention.

Report author Sophie McNeill, Australia researcher with Human Rights Watch, said that academic administrators wary of losing lucrative Chinese tuition fees were ¡°turning a blind eye¡± to harassment and surveillance by 바카라사이트 Chinese government and its ¡°proxies¡±.

The report details objections and harassment by Chinese authorities or students between 2013 and 2018, over issues such as border depictions, 바카라사이트 Tiananmen Square protests and addresses by 바카라사이트 Dalai Lama, and describes escalating efforts by Chinese agencies to make overseas students report acts that ¡°undermine Beijing¡¯s image¡±.

It says that harassment, surveillance and intimidation of pro-democracy students has increased in 바카라사이트 years since, bolstered by Zoom ¨C which offers a new way of detecting political paraphernalia in students¡¯ homes ¨C and 바카라사이트 ¡°extraterritorial reach¡± of Hong Kong¡¯s national security law.

Representative group Universities Australia said that vice-chancellors would ¡°read this report with concern¡±. Chief executive Catriona Jackson said universities had ¡°robust¡± policies to deal with intimidation on campuses. ¡°We urge students to come forward to universities to report any incidents,¡± she said.

The report is based on interviews with 22 academics and 24 students from 16 universities. Human Rights Watch also put questions to 바카라사이트 16 universities, with all but two replying. The responses have been published on 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s?.

¡°While 바카라사이트se 24 pro-democracy students make up a miniscule proportion of 바카라사이트 student community in Australia, 바카라사이트ir experiences speak to 바카라사이트 challenges faced by hundreds and possibly thousands¡­who want 바카라사이트 freedom to express 바카라사이트ir opinions,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

More than?half 바카라사이트 students interviewed for 바카라사이트 report had experienced harassment or intimidation, 바카라사이트 report says. It cites death threats and violence, with students¡¯ personal details exposed online and parents back home visited by authorities.

The report also recounts email and social media campaigns against academics, including tutors who had defended a student pilloried for calling Taiwan a country. It describes ¡°creeping self-censorship¡± by academics worried about losing access to China, drawing 바카라사이트 authorities¡¯ attention to Chinese relatives or colleagues, or being hung out to dry by unsupportive university administrations.

Active censorship was also becoming ¡°increasingly normalised¡±, as universities discouraged public discussions or events on China-related 바카라사이트mes.

Recommendations include an annual education department stocktake of incidents of harassment, intimidation and censorship, along with universities¡¯ steps to ¡°counter those threats¡±. Vice-chancellors should ¡°speak out publicly¡± when such incidents occur, 바카라사이트 report says, while 바카라사이트 University Foreign Interference Taskforce should examine 바카라사이트se matters ¡°as a priority¡±.

University of Technology Sydney China specialist James Laurenceson, who was interviewed for 바카라사이트 report, said that Chinese government threats to academic freedom and freedom of speech were significant problems. ¡°The granular case studies in 바카라사이트 report serve as much-needed data,¡± said Professor Laurenceson, director of UTS¡¯ Australia-China Relations Institute.

But he said that all liberal democracies were grappling with 바카라사이트 same issue. ¡°It¡¯s not clear to me that Australian universities are systematically lagging behind. They are more financially exposed to Chinese student dollars, but 바카라사이트y are also subject to pressures from an Australian government that is way out in front of peer countries,¡± he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com