"China's Counter-Espionage Law Raises Concerns Among Overseas Students... Detailed Information Must Be Provided"

"Detailed Enforcement Rules Specifying Information Collection Methods Needed"
"Political Considerations Must Be Excluded in Paper Evaluation"

China's Counter-Espionage Law may cause concerns and confusion among foreign students, so there is an internal call for detailed information related to the law to be provided.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 6th, Professor Jia Qingguo, former dean of Peking University, submitted a proposal containing this argument to the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a national advisory body. Regarding the recently revised Counter-Espionage Law, he explained, "No implementing regulations have been established to clarify what information can be collected and how it should be collected without violating the law," adding, "This has caused misunderstandings outside China."

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The revised Counter-Espionage Law, which China has enforced since July last year, added "espionage, acquisition, purchase, and illegal provision of confidential information and documents/data related to national security and interests" to espionage activities, sparking controversy. Since there are no detailed standards or examples, it could be enforced in a way that is subjectively interpreted, like "earrings if hung on the ear, nose rings if hung on the nose." The Korean Embassy in China has issued notices advising Korean residents, students, and travelers to be cautious about searching for materials, maps, photos, and statistical data related to China's national security and interests on the internet or storing them on electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops; photographing near security-controlled areas such as military facilities, major national institutions, and defense contractors; and visiting protest sites or directly filming protesters.

Recently, the number of foreign students in China has been rapidly decreasing. Although official figures have not been disclosed, Nicholas Burns, the U.S. Ambassador to China, estimated last year that there are only about 350 American students in China. This is a sharp decline compared to the peak of 15,000 in 2015. The number of Korean students studying in China last year was 15,857, an 80% decrease compared to the peak of 73,240 in 2017.

Professor Jia stated, "We cannot simply blame the shift of students to other educational institutions worldwide on pandemic (COVID-19) restrictions," adding, "The fact that there are many Chinese students abroad suggests that geopolitics itself bears responsibility for the sharp decline in international interest in studying in China."

He also pointed out censorship and restrictions on academic freedom felt by some students. Professor Jia argued, "For example, even in the current review of master's and doctoral theses, political correctness is being emphasized," and "this will increase uncertainty among foreign students with different political and cultural backgrounds."

Regarding measures to attract foreign students back, he explained, "Bureaucracy should be reduced for foreign students seeking internships or employment opportunities at institutions, and the criteria for graduate employment visas should be lowered." He further suggested, "Educational institutions should adopt criteria based on law rather than political considerations when evaluating foreign students' theses to alleviate concerns about academic freedom." Additionally, he added that more scholarships should be provided to foreign students, including short-term trainees.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.