After the European Union announced sanctions against four Chinese officials and one entity over human rights in Xinjiang on March 22, the Chinese Communist Party’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the same day that it was countering 10 European personnel and four entities, including scholars and research institutions from Germany and Sweden. In response to this incident, the University of Trier in Germany recently said in a statement that in solidarity with the scholars sanctioned by the Chinese side and the principle of academic freedom, the Confucius Institute at the university has temporarily suspended all activities. At the same time, the foreign deanship is temporarily suspended.
The statement was jointly issued by Professor Michael Jäckel, President of Trier University, and Professor Marc Oliver Rieger, External Director of the Confucius Institute at the university. The statement reads, “Freedom of research and teaching is a great asset. This freedom is clearly emphasized in Article 5 of the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany. This statement issued today by Trier University is based on this fundamental right.”
The statement says, “We note with great concern the attempts by the Chinese government to restrict this freedom through recent actions, namely the sanctions imposed on numerous European scholars and the Mercator Center for Chinese Studies (MERICS) in Germany. This research center has become an important European think tank over the past decade and the University of Trier has much cooperation with it.”
The statement said, “The Confucius Institute at Trier University has always clearly demonstrated its support for freedom of research through events such as the ‘China Today’ lecture series. We are deeply concerned and worried about the current development and have therefore decided: without prejudice to the interests of our partners, the Confucius Institute at Trier University will temporarily suspend all activities. At the same time, the foreign deanship is temporarily suspended.”
The statement said, “To date, the University of Trier has conducted its transactional cooperation with the Confucius Institute in a critical and serious manner. This decision is our protest against China’s sanction action and our solidarity with our colleagues at home and abroad who have been sanctioned. Both now and in the future, we stand for the free exchange of views, ideas, and the free and open study of China. We hope that the Confucius Institute will continue to be an open platform for Chinese culture and language.”
The University of Trier is reportedly a public school located in Trier, Marx’s hometown. Including the University of Trier, there are 22 Confucius Institutes in German universities and colleges.
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