China’s spy agency, the Ministry of State Security, has issued a stern warning about the actions of some education consultants assisting Chinese students in applying to universities overseas.
The United Kingdom, United States, and Australia are among the top choices for Chinese students studying abroad, according to data from the Chinese educational service provider New Oriental Education & Technology Group.
Spy Agency Raises Alarm
The ministry accused these consultants of inserting anti-China content into the applications to improve the student’s admission chances. According to the agency, this practice is not only harmful to the students themselves but also damages China’s reputation and threatens national security.
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In a notice posted on its official WeChat account, the ministry described the actions as “extremely irresponsible” and claimed that some agencies have become “accomplices of overseas anti-China forces.” While the exact reasons why such content would help the students gain admission were not fully explained, the ministry expressed concern over the implications of these actions on the students and the nation as a whole.
China is currently the world’s largest source of international students, with over 1.02 million Chinese students studying abroad as of 2021. Many of these students rely on education consultants to navigate the complex and unfamiliar admissions processes of foreign universities.
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However, the Ministry of State Security has accused some of these consultants of tampering with students’ application documents by adding anti-China content.
Tampering with Student Applications
The Ministry of State Security provided a specific example to highlight the issue, though it did not reveal many details about when or where the incident occurred. In this case, a student, referred to only by the surname Zhang, purchased an “Elite VIP” service from an overseas study agency. The agency, in turn, hired a professional team to craft a study abroad plan for Zhang.
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The person in charge, known only as “Xiao Rui,” advised Zhang that a particular university abroad had a “green channel” for Chinese students, meaning there was a special, potentially easier, pathway to admission.
However, instead of merely “polishing” the application documents to make Zhang a more attractive candidate, the agency inserted large amounts of false content that included anti-China rhetoric and politically charged statements.
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The ministry’s notice stated that Zhang was unaware of these changes and unwittingly became an “anti-China vanguard” due to the actions of the study agency.
The incident eventually attracted the attention of national security agencies, leading to an investigation. The ministry reported that the agency and its head were dealt with according to the law in May of this year, but it did not specify the exact nature of the punishment.
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Overseas Studies as a “Bait”
The Ministry of State Security has also raised concerns that some foreign countries may be using the allure of overseas education as a means to influence Chinese students. The ministry did not name any specific countries but noted that many Western nations are popular destinations for Chinese students. Consultants take the benefit of increasing anti-China rhetoric set by the western media.
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Reports from earlier this year indicate that there are currently about 289,000 Chinese students studying in the United States, making China the largest source of foreign students in the country for the 15th consecutive year. Similarly, Australia hosts approximately 162,826 Chinese students for the academic year 2022-2023.
The Ministry of State Security has criticized some overseas study agencies for their lack of national security awareness and for prioritizing profits over the well-being of students and the country. The ministry alleged that these agencies do not hesitate to cater to anti-China rhetoric in their efforts to gain admission advantages for their clients. This behavior, according to the ministry, poses significant risks to national security by misleading students and spreading false information.
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The ministry also pointed to what it described as lax hiring practices among these agencies, claiming that foreign teachers with unverified backgrounds are being employed to “polish” or even ghostwrite students’ application documents. These actions, it warned, could lead to the inadvertent participation of Chinese students in activities that are considered anti-China and go against the interests of their home country.
The ministry emphasized the importance of being cautious about “polishing and processing services” offered by these agencies, as such services could result in unintended consequences that may affect both the students and national security.
This warning follows a previous alert from the ministry in February, where Chinese nationals were cautioned against cooperating with foreign intelligence agencies while studying or traveling abroad. The latest notice reinforces the ongoing concern of the Chinese government regarding the safety and loyalty of its students studying overseas.
