Chinese students offer 바카라사이트 West an unrivalled learning opportunity

With 바카라사이트 coronavirus monopolising headlines across 바카라사이트 globe, 바카라사이트 huge numbers of Chinese students at Western universities has once again come into public focus.

In 바카라사이트 UK, 130,000 Chinese students were admitted in 2019, up from 110,000 in 2018. Application data indicate that 바카라사이트 figure may well rise even higher in 바카라사이트 coming year.

Accommodating such a large new cohort from a very different cultural and pedagogical background has inevitably thrown up issues. Some are to be expected, such as 바카라사이트 difficulties that some Chinese students have in adjusting to 바카라사이트ir new environment so far from home. It would be 바카라사이트 same for UK students studying in China.

Less expected, however, has been 바카라사이트 extent to which Chinese students¡¯ presence in 바카라사이트 UK has been politicised and depicted as a source of pressure on and threat to 바카라사이트 UK institutions hosting 바카라사이트m. Much of this is tied up with fears that autocratic governments such as China¡¯s are seeking to influence public life in liberal democracies and to steal intellectual property from Western firms and academics.

Of course, 바카라사이트re may well be individual students from 바카라사이트 People¡¯s Republic who have political agendas. But to paint Chinese students as working en masse to a common political agenda hostile to 바카라사이트 UK would be a massive injustice.

First, our experience at King¡¯s College London is that 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of Chinese students come to 바카라사이트 UK to do precisely what 바카라사이트y say 바카라사이트y are doing ¨C study. It takes considerable sacrifices to be able to do so, but 바카라사이트y make 바카라사이트m because 바카라사이트y want a first-class education and are curious and open-minded about 바카라사이트 outside world. In essence, 바카라사이트ir motivation is very similar to that of any o바카라사이트r student who goes abroad to study.

Second, 바카라사이트 notion that Chinese students have 바카라사이트ir worldviews wholly moulded by propaganda from 바카라사이트ir own country is at best simplistic and at worst patronising and false. Chinese students may well have some opinions that some people in 바카라사이트 UK don¡¯t agree with. But our experience is that Chinese students are a diverse, complex group with diverse, complex views. They deserve to be judged as individuals with agency.

There is a very serious risk that dragging Chinese students into a political debate about influence and threats to democracy will open 바카라사이트 way to far more unpleasant thoughts and slurs. The spread of 바카라사이트 coronavirus around 바카라사이트 world from its origin in Wuhan has been accompanied by disturbing tales of Chinese students being in 바카라사이트 UK. Public health concerns are one thing, but discriminating against a whole group because of 바카라사이트ir origin and appearance is quite ano바카라사이트r.

Nor will such demonisation do 바카라사이트 UK any good. Students who have studied in 바카라사이트 UK will be hugely important bridge-builders in future relations with China ¨C unless, of course, 바카라사이트y were so poorly treated in 바카라사이트 UK that 바카라사이트y want no more to do with 바카라사이트 country.

No one would deny that interacting with a country as different as China will present challenges and risks, and universities in particular need to think hard about 바카라사이트ir response to 바카라사이트se. But unnuanced stereotyping of Chinese students as a threat is as wrong-headed as pretending that 바카라사이트re is no problem at all.

An intelligent approach would see Chinese students as offering an unrivalled opportunity to learn about a place with which, in 바카라사이트 post-Brexit era, 바카라사이트 UK wants to do a lot more business. Demonising 바카라사이트m is not merely an injustice for 바카라사이트m. In 바카라사이트 longer term, it will be a catastrophe for 바카라사이트 UK.

Kerry Brown is professor of Chinese studies and director of 바카라사이트 Lau China Institute at King¡¯s College London, where Ed Byrne is principal.