How China Controls Good Chinese Students in Germany

Freedom. Study in a foreign country away from home. That's what young people around the world dream about. For many of them, this is possible only with a state scholarship. But what if this exchange interferes with freedom?

Between China and Germany are 7 thousand miles away. However, according to a research conducted by Deutsche Welle and the investigative platform CORRECTIV, Chinese students in Germany experience a strong control of the Chinese state. This is especially true of young scientists who come to Germany with a scholarship from the Chinese stock exchange council, China Schoolshop Council (CSC).

Scholars who receive scholarships from the CSC must first sign that they will not participate in activities that harm China's security. They are forced to appear regularly at the Chinese embassy to report. Anyone who does not follow that rule is in danger of being punished.

Chinese scholarships from CSC are eagerly accepted by at least 30 German universities. Some of these universities have even linked partnerships with the Chinese Stock Council, which depends on the Chinese Ministry of Education and is one of the most important institutions of the Chinese People's Republic, for the granting of scholarships.

University Berlin FU, University Munich's LMU have good relations with CSC

So for example, Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich (LMU) has established an agreement with CSC, specialising doctors in 2005. By the end of 2022, 492 CSC stockers attended the program. The number of scholarships each year has been 40.

“The CSC is for our most important academic partner in China”, writes Munich University in response to a written question. In a video on the 15th anniversary of the establishment of co-operation, the responsibilities of this co-operation in the LMU and CSC even celebrate a key “feature of international relations” and submit “sincere thanks”.

A total of 487 CSC doctors have participated in the Berlin Free University (FU), since 2009. According to its data, the FU is in “privileged partnership with” with CSC, and is viewed by it as the preferred hosting “to the CSC” bursists.  

Unknown “trying to shut up”

So far, co-operation with the Chinese Stock Council has never been questioned. “contras connected between Chinese stock exchanges and Chinese bursists and the Chinese government have not been recognised by us so far”, explains LMU. Even attempts to pressure Chinese bursists have not been reported so far. “To The LMU, the science and freedom issues of the press are the basic values we give as an example and we intercede with students from other countries. ”

In Berlin, however, they say there are no individual cases with such contracts. What's known is that after the scholarship is finished, the stock exchangers must return to China or return the scholarship.” The case has nothing to do with the only contractual clause.

The contract to sign Chinese students with a CSC scholarship to study abroad

Even the FU points out that “undermines the freedom of science of its members against foreign influences. ” But how realistic is this in China's case?  

Lionality and Loyalty to the State 

CORRECTIV and DW have several CSC contracts from different years and for different countries. The last contract is 2021 and is for a doctor who stands at a German university. The document in the original is in Chinese, is nine pages long, and is translated in this text to be compared to other contracts. The changes are small.

At the heart of the contract, it's accepting absolute loyalty to the state: CSC scholarships are obliged to develop a sense of responsibility for this mission, return to China and serve the country.” The Bursist signed that “not participate in activities that harm the country's interest and security.” It further says that the stock exchanger “should defend the country's honour and follow instructions from Chinese embassies (consultations) in foreign countries. ”

In all, this means that the doctor's maximum should be presented ten days after his arrival in Germany at the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate and hold the frequent “contact with it”. He is compelled to document academic progress to regularly show the embassy or consulate, which includes obtaining information from the third side. So the bursist must presumption “without wasting time” information for his academic mentors”. After his return, the bursist is obliged to live at least two years in China for the country's “served”. Only after that does the contract that extends to family and friends no longer matter.  

Fellow Family 

Within the stock exchange, two guarantors become known for each CSC granter to ensure that during the exchange, it does not stay outside China for a period longer than three months. If contract clauses are violated, these guarantees become co-aware, and they are personally and financially punished.

This is what happens when the bursist fails to produce the right academic results or when the stock exchanger ceases to stand on the stock market without sufficient reason. In this case, except for the return of the scholarship, a fine should be paid. To have an idea: For a four-year-old scholarship, about 75 thousand euros are paid.  

Chinese “

Experts in China's affairs, Marshal Ohlberg works for the Asian programme of nonprofit organisation German Marshall Fund. She thinks the CSC contracts show “the attention of the Chinese Communist Party's”, reaching clear mobileation calls: “People are actively encouraged to intervene if something happens, which may not be in the interest of the country. ”

The worst violation of the contract occurs when China's interests are damaged. This contract allows for additional activities that may be possible participation in crime - virtually before committing a murder. China sets clear priorities,” analyzes Ohlberg.

However, it is not stated what activities can be damaging to Chinese interests, and the issue is open - minded. The same is true of the consequences. Ohlberg concludes that: “Even abroad the Chinese are not free, rather continue to be under party observation.” The result is the creation of the climate of fear, which leads to self - esteem.

A young man who signed a contract with CSC relates when he talks to CORRECTIV about his fear of his family. He is forbidden to show that fear in Germany because the embassy reacts sharply “”. He tells of the fear he has on his return, that he may be questioned immediately after arriving at the airport: “The questions are, for example, whether I know one person or another. I always say yes, yes, but I don't know what these people did.” Conversations with five other Chinese students, who have nothing to do with CSC, reflect the same fear that exists toward the Chinese state of control.  

The importance of international exchange for China shows this view from 2016 - China's Deputy Prime Minister Liu Yandong meets Chinese students at Berlin Free University

CSC firmly adheres to Communist Party line 

The CSC has sent 124,000 students to foreign countries over the past five years, says Council Secretary-General Schengen Jianxue. To ensure the success of the stock exchangers' national programmes, Schengen stressed last December: “First we must ask that for new times we arm our conscience with the socialist ideology of Chinese type head of state and Xi Jinping party.” The main task is to ensure party rule and strengthen it.

Deutsche Welle and CORRECTIV have repeatedly sought to speak with the Chinese stock exchange Council in Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in Berlin. All demands remain unanswered.

German reaction to CSC contracts

Kai Gehring, chairman of the Commission for Education and Science in the German Parliament, thinks CSC contracts, “are not in line with Constitution”, which guarantees freedom of science: “The patriotic acts and attitudes imposed by the one-party systems, as well as the establishment of collective responsibility when the contract is supposedly violated, make common, independent scientific work characterized by curiosity, free soul and creativity impossible. ”

But who should pay for the consequences? German Ministry of Education and Science (BMBF), says questioned by DW and CORRECTIV that he knows that “the Chinese stock exchange council asks its ideological stock exchangers and stock exchangers. ”

The similar German institution, Deutsche Academy Austauschdienst (DAAD), which also provides scholarships and co-operates with CSC for years, explains, asked by us, that such contracts made by the CSC reflect the Chinese reality, where the seven-year-old universities have to suffice with giving ever stronger ideological tasks”. DAAD has no knowledge of the contents of the contracts it is talking about.

Philological Library, FU Berlin

Freedom of Science

In Germany, the Constitution protects science from exercising political influences. Hence, in the opinion of the Ministry of Education, German universities are in charge: “According to the German Ministry of Education and Science, it is important that institutions that accept students in Germany are aware of the possible obligations imposed on CSC stockists and see that the freedom of thought and science provided by the constitution also apply to this group of people. ”

Munich University and University The Berlin FU has announced that they will handle this while special German professors report the fears Chinese students have of surveillance and spying.

Even security-related circles note, according to information from Deutsche Welle, “strengthened by the Chinese students with the state, especially the control of CSC stockists.

Meanwhile, in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, where problems made with the CSC have been reported since the beginning of the year, the first universities have reacted by halting co-operation with CSC. / DW

Rational Co-operation: A DW colleague does not want to be named because of his family.