Malicious intentions?

China suffered a major blow when a recent trend emerged regarding the consideration of forbidding Chinese students from pursuing studies, especially in European Union (EU) countries. The first shocking incident came from the government of the Netherlands, as the Dutch establishment revealed its plans to vet international students and banned some Chinese postgraduates from obtaining top technology degrees due to concerns about potential risks to national security. Dutch Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf disclosed that he was investigating the number of students funded by the state-run Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) after several universities started excluding them. In China, recipients of Chinese grants are also required to swear allegiance to the Communist Party, return to China within two years of completing their studies, and report to the Chinese embassy in the country where they study. This demonstrates the tight control exercised by the Chinese government over their students.

This is the latest indication of a stricter stance taken by EU countries regarding security threats emanating from Beijing. Dijkgraaf further informed the media that he shared the concerns of universities, stating that the targeted use of grant programmes to obtain high-quality knowledge and technology for the state was undesirable. Meanwhile, a study has been initiated to determine the number of CSC researchers in the Netherlands and the academic fields in which they are active. He also mentioned that he would report to the Parliament this year and was even preparing to legislate a Knowledge Security Screening Law. However, the minister added that there was no specific policy to exclude Chinese students or to discourage cooperation with Chinese institutes or researchers in sensitive fields. Nevertheless, this currently appears ambiguous.

Robbert-Jan Smits, President of Eindhoven University of Technology, stated that all Dutch universities will gradually reduce the number of students from China. In a related development, the Netherlands is also considering legislation to screen foreign students planning to study in technical fields, which raises security risks. Such a screening test would be the latest among several measures taken by universities and the government to limit Chinese students' access to Dutch technology. It is noteworthy that the Dutch intelligence agency AIVD had warned in April that Dutch universities are an "attractive target" for spying, with China being the largest threat. Interestingly, the number of foreign students in the Netherlands has been growing in recent years, sparking a disagreement on whether the Dutch language should be mandatory in classes.

It should be emphasized that some Dutch universities continue to reject students and researchers from Iran and China solely based on their nationalities, despite the fact that excluding or screening individuals based on nationality is prohibited by law. The Dutch government is concerned that sensitive knowledge may fall into the wrong hands, posing a risk to national security. Consequently, universities exercise great caution when admitting Iranian and Chinese students and researchers. This cautionary approach aims to prevent the leakage of sensitive knowledge from high-risk fields such as nuclear and missile technology. The Netherlands possesses valuable technical and scientific knowledge that other countries may have a keen interest in, claims Danny Pronk, a former employee of the Dutch intelligence services.

It is worth reiterating that such risks were significant in 1979, following the revelation that scientist AR Khan (of Pakistani origin) had stolen the blueprint for uranium enrichment and other technical know-how from the Netherlands. Khan utilized this stolen information to assist Pakistan in developing an atomic bomb and also facilitated the transfer or sale of this knowledge to North Korea, a rogue state.

It is also noteworthy that relations between China and the West have become increasingly strained in recent years. The Huawei affair of 2019 halted the deployment of 5G networks with Chinese assistance, TikTok has faced bans in many countries in recent months, and ASML technology is now being kept away from China. All three examples reflect significant concerns for Western countries, including the risk of information theft and apprehensions about espionage from Beijing.

Furthermore, the Dutch government has explicit concerns about China. The Security Strategy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands (PDF) identifies China, along with Russia, as a threat to national security. Consequently, it appears that the Dutch government seeks to take independent action regarding its China policy. The ban on ASML technology appears to have been partly influenced by pressure from the US, although this possibility cannot be entirely dismissed by China observers.

With that said, the Dutch government aims to prohibit Chinese students from enrolling in courses at Dutch universities that involve handling valuable and sensitive technology. The proposed legislation will likely be carefully worded to avoid explicitly targeting China, perhaps as a diplomatic move to avoid completely alienating the country.

Till things concretize on this vital subject, China’s credibility has surely taken further beating. It raises questions about its intentions of spying and endangering the security of other countries, especially in Europe, as an apparent move to steal scientific and technological secrets. Using their students studying in advanced Western countries is perhaps an easy option for them.

The writer is an IPS officer, Adviser NatStrat, security analyst and a former National Security Advisor in Mauritius. Views expressed are personal