cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/39861120
Chinese students at UK universities are being pressured to spy on their classmates in an attempt to suppress the discussion of issues that are sensitive to the Chinese government, a new report suggests.
The UK-China Transparency (UKCT) think tank says its survey of academics in China studies also highlighted reports of Chinese government officials warning lecturers to avoid discussing certain topics in their classes.
It comes days after a new law came into force placing more responsibility on universities to uphold academic freedom and free speech.
The Chinese embassy in London called the report “groundless and absurd”, adding that China respects freedom of speech in the UK and elsewhere.
The regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), says freedom of speech and academic freedom are “fundamental” to higher education.
The new legislation, which came into force last week, says universities should do more to actively promote academic freedom and freedom of speech, including in cases where institutions have agreements in place with other countries.
Universities could be fined millions if they fail to do so, the OfS has said.
However, the UKCT report says some universities are reluctant to address the issue of Chinese interference because of their financial reliance on Chinese student fees.
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Do you truly believe that Europe is the only place that advocates for freedom of speech and human rights?
Quite the opposite, I guess you are not familar with sarcasm? I even added a /s to emphasise that.
So on a subject about human rights you reduced the scope to Europe because you were being sarcastic?
Enlighten us with a higher form of wit; what were you trying to say?
I was trying to say that we have plenty of home grown fascists and it isn’t all external influences (like the person I was replying to said), and without the local people pushing for it the international ones would have little chance to influence anything.
That’s fair, it came across as though you were denying the existence of external forces altogether despite the fact that misinformation campaigns and large amounts of funding to right wing parties are what have fueled the likes of AfD, Reform UK, PVV etc across Europe, as well as the current situation in America.
Yes, every country has its fascists, rapists, murderers etc… but that doesn’t make the possibility of external influence riling these groups to action any less plausible.
Also, I think like i’ve misunderstood your meaning, you’ve misunderstood the comment you were responding too; I don’t think the person you replied too meant external forces are the sole reason, but rather the driving force.