On several occassions, I’ve asked my Chinese friends here in Paris if they had to sign anything promissing that they won’t look at certain things or watch the news while they’re abroad. The obvious reason being that the Chinese government can’t censor everything for them when they’re not in China. They’ve always sort-of smiled and looked at me like I was crazy (friendly crazy).
Well, my girlfriend and I stayed recently with her host family from when we first came to France, and one night the father started telling stories about the first time they ever had an exchange student, a Chinese girl. I’m sorry I don’t remember all of the story, because I had drunk quite a bit of wine, but it involved him coming home one day to find another Chinese guy in his house looking through their computer. The girl was there, but I think she explained that the guy who was looking through the computer just “checking up” on her.
The host father went on to explain that the Chinese government sends government narcs (didn’t know what other term to use) to rat out people who are learning about democracy or, I suppose, Falun Gong.
Now, I don’t doubt that a lot of what the host father said, but at the same time I doubt some of everything he says (based on some other stuff he’s told me). Has anyone ever heard of this practice with the Chinese government planting people where there are a lot of Chinese exchange students so that they can rat out “bad” Chinese?
There’s a lot of quite open Falun Gong activity in Dublin - often in the middle of the largest city street, every morning for years - and they don’t seem to get any hassle from spooks.
I have to say though, I read this as Chinese exchange student’s pies…
In the 1980’s, the KMT in Taiwan had a network of students that were “spies” and checking up on Taiwan National students in the US. The 'black hand" designation would get you banned from returning to Taiwan.
I learned about this in an English class i was teaching for prospective graduate students to the US. :eek: No idea if the Taiwan government still tries to keep tabs or not.
The first wave of Chinese Mainlanders to study abroad in the 1980’s were in their 50’s, family still in china and got IIRC $200/month stipend from the Chinese government. There are so many mainland students abroad I doubt if it is practical to check up.
I can only speak from personal experience. My wife was a Chinese student at University in Japan, and never ever got checked up on.
Look, it would surprise me if there are a tiny minority of students abroad that are supposed to alert "authorities’ if then notice anyone being way out there. Otherwise, I highly doubt if there are narc’s checking any and every Chinese student abroad.