China influencing academic freedom in Europe, says Rushan Abbas
Synopsis
Uyghur activist Rushan Abbas has accused the Chinese government of pressuring European universities to control academic research on China, citing a report on diplomatic interference at a 2019 event on Xinjiang policies at a French university.
The Executive Director of the Campaign for Uyghurs, Rushan Abbas, has raised concerns over alleged Chinese government pressure on European universities, saying Beijing is attempting to influence what can be researched and discussed about China on academic campuses.
Strasbourg University Incident
In a post on X, Abbas reacted to a report by Lingua Sinica detailing alleged Chinese diplomatic efforts to disrupt a 2019 panel on Beijing's policies in Xinjiang at the University of Strasbourg in France.
According to the report, Thomas Boutonnet, an associate professor of Chinese Studies and co-organiser of the event, recalled that Chinese participants linked to the Chinese Consulate in Strasbourg repeatedly interrupted the discussion and distributed pamphlets portraying conditions in Xinjiang positively. The report said the pressure began before the event, when a Chinese student allegedly approached the Dean of the Faculty of Letters and warned that the event should be cancelled. The Chinese Consulate subsequently contacted the university president and formally requested that the academic discussion be banned. The university refused to cancel the event.
Concerns Over Self-Censorship and Scrutiny
Abbas said the episode demonstrated how Beijing's influence could extend beyond China's borders and affect academic freedom in Europe. She alleged that concerns over research funding, institutional partnerships, visas and access to China were increasingly encouraging scholars to self-censor.
"I know what Beijing is trying to protect from scrutiny," Abbas said, linking the issue to her sister, Dr Gulshan Abbas, whose imprisonment she said had lasted nearly eight years. She accused the Chinese Communist Party of working internationally to discourage scrutiny of policies and alleged abuses connected to the detention of Uyghurs.
Beijing's Growing Influence and Call for Academic Independence
The Lingua Sinica report said the Strasbourg incident was considered an early example of direct diplomatic interference in academic debate. It added that China's growing importance as a source of research funding, business partnerships and international students had created additional avenues through which Beijing could exert pressure on European universities.
Abbas called on European academic institutions to protect their independence, saying Beijing should not be allowed to determine the boundaries of academic research and public debate. (ANI)