Kirsty Neham

SYDNEY (Reuters – Australia claims it has strengthened foreign interference laws for universities. The rules are intended to end self-censorship at campuses and covert transfers of sensitive technology. Around a hundred thousand international students will return home as COVID-19 closes its borders.

Australia’s international education industry is fourth in export value, with China accounting for the largest share of students paying fees.

Karen Andrews, Home Affairs Minister, stated Wednesday that the guidelines for foreign interference will be used to protect students and universities from hostile foreign actors and intelligence agencies. These services have been known as foreign agents who target sensitive research and muzzle discussion, intimidate and harass foreign students.

According to the guidelines, Australia worries that its technological advantage may be diminished by unwelcome technology transfer. It also fears that researchers might not declare affiliations with military or government officials in countries where transparency and democracy indexes are low.

The universities will decide which employees will need to be screened for links with foreign countries or companies.

Human Rights Watch stated in June that high numbers of Chinese students have led to an environment where lecturers avoid criticism from Beijing, and Chinese students remain silent for fear of harassment.

Although the new guidelines do not mention China, they include case studies of incidents that are similar to harassment by Hong Kong protesters at Australian campuses. They also cover pressures on universities from consulates in other countries to retract a paper about COVID-19 that was embarrassing the foreign government.

Australia passed its 2018 first law on foreign interference, sparking a dispute between China and Australia. The term is defined as any activity that is coercive or clandestine, corrupting, and separate from normal lobbying activities of foreign governments.

These stricter regulations were imposed after tensions grew last year, when Australia demanded an independent investigation into the source of the new coronavirus. This triggered trade reprisals against Australian products ranging from wine and barley to coal.

According to the European Commission, it has also developed foreign interference rules that will apply to European universities.

Australia’s Chinese ambassador in Canberra complained to Australia that James Paterson was the chair of its intelligence Committee. He had just given a speech to Europe’s Parliament last week, in which he described how Australia’s foreign interference laws were designed to counter the Chinese threat.

The so-called “security threat from China’s influence on Australia” was false, according to Reuters.