Germany fears that Chinese students on full scholarships may be spying on German citizens. The German Education and Research Minister raised concerns about the Chinese students that visit Germany on full state scholarships in scientific fields.
Scientific Espionage
The Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger called for strict regulations on student’s exchange programs with China. She said China is doing “scientific espionage” where the students act as state actors to gather valuable scientific information and share it with the government.
China-Backed Scholarships
The concerns raised by the German Education Minister are without a doubt on the spot as all the Chinese student scholarships are funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), a state institution. The minister also said the concerns are not meant to specifically target the Chinese students as a whole but there must be regulations in place to limit the transfer of sensitive knowledge.
