China-Sensitive Topics at US Universities Draw More Online Harassment

Despite the letters, the event went forward as scheduled at 2 p.m. on November 13. But it quickly became apparent that something was happening when someone began playing the Chinese national anthem over one of the speakers. Then the graffiti appeared, targeting Asat.

Asat, a Harvard-educated Uighur attorney, told VOA, “It was awful. I tried not to read. I didn’t want that experience to affect me and define me.”

Apart from her legal career, Asat is the sister and main advocate for Ekpa Asat, a successful entrepreneur in Xinjiang who disappeared after attending a State Department leadership program in 2016. Rayhan Asat later learned her brother had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for inciting ethnic hatred and ethnic discrimination.

So far, no one has taken responsibility for the incident. The Brandeis CSSA and the university’s media office did not respond to VOA’s request for comment.

Coordinated Force
Chinese students in Western universities have grown more vocal in opposing teachings and curriculum they object to.

In 2019, a panel discussion on human rights issues was canceled by Columbia University after a Chinese student group threatened to stage a protest outside the venue on campus.

Also last year, when Uighur activist Rukiye Turdush was invited to speak about Xinjiang at Canada’s McMaster University, he met with fierce protests from Chinese students.

A report from the Hoover Institute said Chinese Students and Scholars Associations sometimes report on and compromise the academic freedom of other Chinese students and American faculty on American campuses.

American universities that host events deemed politically offensive by the Chinese Communist Party and government have been subject to increasing pressure, and sometimes even to retaliation, by diplomats in the Chinese Embassy and its six consulates as well as by CSSA branches,” the report said.

Another report by the Wilson Center said that over the past two decades, some Chinese diplomats and students have infringed on academic freedom by complaining to universities about invited speakers and events, pressuring and/or offering inducements to those whose work involves content deemed sensitive by the PRC authorities, and retaliating against American universities’ cooperative initiatives with PRC partners.

Who Gave the “Green Light”?
Rayhan Asat argued that what had happened to her was a perfect demonstration of how the Chinese government is able to influence academic freedom on American campuses.

“We don’t know whether this was a coordinated event with the Chinese embassies or the Chinese government, but I think there [has] got to be something that gave them the green light to do this,” she said. “I don’t think that anybody would be in that position to risk their academic life and potential career to do this kind of destruction that would be perceived by any standard as a violation of free speech, a violation of somebody’s personal space.”

She told VOA that after the event, there were a few Chinese students who came to apologize to her and offered her support.

I hope the Chinese students who have received Western education can stand with us, rather than aid the Chinese government to silence and oppress us,” Rayhan Asat said.

Millward said that although he was saddened by the harassment, he was happy to see lots of Chinese names at the event. “They’re a very important audience. They need to know what’s going on,” he said.

Lin Yang is a VOA News reporter. This article is published courtesy of the Voice of America (VOA).