Berlin The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) warns against Chinese influence on German universities through so-called Confucius Institutes. The BMI sees the cooperation between German universities and the Confucius Institutes “extremely critical from a security perspective and regularly draws the universities’ attention to the associated dangers as part of raising awareness,” a ministry spokeswoman told the Handelsblatt.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the institutes serve as part of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence strategy in particular to spread an “unblemished image of China”. “An at least indirect influence of the CCP on the Confucius Institute follows from the fact that these are co-financed to a not inconsiderable extent by the Chinese state,” explained the spokeswoman.
This support often means “considerable financial relief” for cooperating German universities, but at the same time harbors “the risk of dependency and thus a gradual restriction of academic freedom”.
The FDP faction deputy Konstantin Kuhle brought consequences into play. “China’s totalitarian power apparatus must not extend into the German university landscape,” Kuhle told the Handelsblatt. The influence of the Chinese state on the institutes is a “serious threat to academic freedom”. “That’s why German universities have to reconsider their cooperation with corresponding institutes and, where necessary, end them,” says Kuhle.
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There are 19 Confucius Institutes in Germany, most of which are located at universities. They officially promote German-Chinese exchange. The Greens domestic politician Konstantin von Notz spoke of a “very serious security policy problem” for which the research institutions had to be made even more aware.
“If I were university president, I wouldn’t have a Confucius Institute.”
In addition, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution must “act very decisively” and pursue attempts to exert influence “much more intensively”, the chairman of the Bundestag committee for the control of the secret services told the Handelsblatt.
The FDP politician sees the Confucius Institute as a direct influence of the Chinese government.
(Photo: dpa)
In its 2020 annual report, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution describes the institutes as “significant actors in the field of influence that threaten to undermine academic freedom in various ways”.
In the corona pandemic, for example, Chinese actors carried out “aggressive disinformation and propaganda campaigns”. In order to implement its agenda, the Chinese Communist Party is also using the Chinese diaspora and students loyal to the regime.
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The President of the Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Stephan Kramer, advised that cooperation with the Confucius Institutes should be critically examined and reviewed. “It is not uncommon for one to come to the conclusion that it is better to go our separate ways,” Kramer told the Handelsblatt.
As a rule, the institutes are founded between a Chinese and a German university. The first Confucius Institute in Germany was opened in 2006 at the Free University of Berlin. Its website states that it is a “non-profit association for the promotion of knowledge of Chinese language and culture abroad”.
And further: “With its work, the Confucius Institute contributes to the maintenance of Chinese-German cooperation and has been able to establish itself as an important cultural and language institution in the Berlin area in recent years.”
Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) recently took a stand against the Confucius Institute. “If I were university president, I wouldn’t have a Confucius Institute,” she told Handelsblatt.
Because these institutes are “co-financed by Beijing and are politically instrumentalized by the Communist Party”. “I reject such direct influence by China on our teaching and science – we should clearly differentiate ourselves”.
Universities warn of blanket bans
The CDU also sees a need for action. In a recent party congress resolution, the Christian Democrats demand “that the public institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany, in particular universities and schools, end their cooperation with the Confucius Institutes after a thorough examination”. It must be prevented that “research espionage and an unwanted outflow of technology take place” via the institutes. Any financing of the institutes or their work through German tax money must also be prevented.
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The Greens politician von Notz called for the research institutions to be made “even more sensitive” to the problem. “They need support in recognizing and defending against direct influence,” he said. “The fact that the Union, which was responsible for this policy area for many years, has now recognized the problem of far-reaching influence by authoritarian states in Germany can only be welcomed.”
The German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) confirmed attempts to exert influence, for example at the Hanover and Duisburg-Essen locations. When asked by the Handelsblatt, the HRK said this was unacceptable. The universities concerned had correctly lodged a clear objection. “Nevertheless, blanket bans do not do justice to the situation.”
The local experiences are too different for that. “Dealing with these cooperation agreements is part of the autonomous action of the universities and should be left to them,” emphasized the HRK.
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