Germany anxious about spying risk from state-funded Chinese students

The German education minister has expressed concerns about potential security risks from Chinese scholarship students enrolled at the country's educational institutions.

Bettina Stark-Watzinger said on Saturday that research institutes and universities have a duty to protect themselves against espionage by state-funded scholarship holders from China.

"China is increasingly becoming a competitor and systemic rival in science and research," the minister told the Bavarian Media Group, a grouping of around 60 publications.

She praised the approach of the Friedrich Alexander University (FAU) in Bavaria, which from June 1 excluded the enrolment of anyone solely financed by the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC).

According to the FAU, the CSC usually sends doctoral scholarship holders. Those who are currently already enrolled, however, can continue to write their doctoral theses.

The university said it was responding to an audit by the Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), which monitors compliance with export restrictions on sensitive goods, software and technology, especially products with military applications.

Meanwhile, the German Association of Universities called for a more differentiated approach to the issue.

"It is up to the university to decide," said executive director Hubert Detmer. "If there is a concrete suspicion of espionage, such an exclusion is probably warranted. However, I have problems with the absoluteness of the ban."

At the very least, the evaluation should take into account whether the research subject is a sensitive area, he said.