nrc.nl
China's Shrinking Foreign Student Population: Geopolitics and Surveillance Play Key Roles
A Dutch student in Beijing describes the cultural shock of ubiquitous facial recognition technology on Peking University's campus, illustrating the broader trend of declining foreign students and tourists in China due to geopolitical tensions and pandemic impacts, despite recent visa relaxations.
- What are the immediate impacts of China's decreasing foreign student population and tourism, considering the recent easing of visa restrictions?
- Anniek Sienot, a Dutch master's student in Beijing, initially resisted using facial recognition technology at Peking University but eventually complied after a week of manual passport checks. This highlights the increasing normalization of such technology in China, even among foreigners.
- How do the changing geopolitical perceptions of China influence the decisions of students and tourists to visit the country, and what are the long-term consequences?
- The decrease in foreign students in China since 2020 is due to a combination of factors: strict Covid-19 policies, negative public opinion in high-income countries viewing China as a geopolitical rival, and economic concerns. This decline is mirrored in overall tourism, with a significant drop in visitors from Europe and North America.
- What underlying systemic issues in China (e.g., surveillance, political climate) contribute to the decline in Western students and tourists, and what strategies might China employ to reverse this trend?
- China's efforts to attract foreign students, including visa relaxations and government scholarships, are showing some success, particularly from Southeast Asia. However, the persistent negative geopolitical climate and concerns about surveillance and arbitrary arrests continue to deter students and tourists from Europe and North America, suggesting a long-term shift in international relations.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article's framing emphasizes the negative aspects of the decreasing number of Western students in China and the changing geopolitical climate. While acknowledging China's efforts to attract more students, the negative narrative dominates, potentially shaping reader perception towards a pessimistic outlook on future academic exchange with China. The headline (if any) would likely play a crucial role in setting this tone.
Language Bias
The article mostly maintains a neutral tone. However, phrases like "negatieve publieke opinie" (negative public opinion) and descriptions of China as a "geopolitieke rivaal of bedreiging" (geopolitical rival or threat) could be considered slightly loaded. More neutral alternatives might be "changing public perception" and "increasing geopolitical competition." The repeated emphasis on the decline of Western students in China might subtly influence readers to view the situation more negatively than a purely neutral presentation.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the declining number of Western students in China but offers limited data on the overall number of international students. While acknowledging a lack of official statistics since 2020, it doesn't explore potential alternative data sources or methodologies to quantify the change more precisely. This omission could lead to an incomplete picture of the situation, potentially underrepresenting the overall growth of international students from other regions.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplistic dichotomy between those who find China's surveillance systems acceptable and those who don't, overlooking the nuanced views and experiences within both groups. While Anniek's perspective is highlighted, it doesn't explore the range of opinions on surveillance within China itself, or the motivations of those who find the system acceptable beyond a simple desire for safety.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights a significant decrease in the number of international students studying in China, including a more than 40 percent drop in first-year students at Leiden University's China Studies program. This decline is attributed to various factors, including the negative public opinion towards China and stricter visa policies. Reduced international student mobility directly hinders the achievement of SDG 4 (Quality Education), specifically target 4.7 which aims to ensure that all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.