Filming in classrooms. Threatening emails. Surveillance at demonstrations and online. Strategic visa denial. Targeting family members.
These are examples of actions reported by Chinese students studying in European and North American universities. While Chinese espionage is often associated with industry and technology, a less visible but increasingly significant form of Chinese surveillance takes place within Western universities, targeting Chinese students and academics.
The phenomenon is part of what is known as transnational repression, which refers to both physical and digital tactics used by governments to control and silence their citizens beyond borders. In the Chinese context, as defined by Amnesty International (2024), transnational academic repression refers to “Chinese authorities’ actions to silence, control or deter dissent and criticism by overseas Chinese students and others, in violation of their human rights”. According to the UK-China Transparency report (2025), the main driver behind these practices is the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) desire to control narratives around politically sensitive issues, such as China’s territorial claims and the political system, by preventing Chinese citizens from criticising the regime even beyond its borders.
Students have always been a force of political change making them a source of concern for authoritarian governments. There are over a million Chinese students studying abroad which presents a significant challenge from the perspective of the Chinese government. Exposure to different political systems, values, and open democratic debate may encourage students to question the Chinese system and openly criticise it.
To tackle this challenge, China systemically monitors and intimidates its own citizens abroad. In the academic context, transnational repression is often non-physical and takes place online through digital surveillance, hacking and intimidation. The impact on students is profound. Many report living in fear, self-censoring and minimising classroom participation due to concerns that their views may be reported to authorities. Some students avoid participating in political discussions on topics such as the Tiananmen massacre and deliberately distance themselves from other Chinese students out of fear of being spied on. This is not an unfounded concern as Chinese students have told about being asked to report of seminar and classroom discussions to their local embassies. This not only fosters mistrust among students but can also lead to social isolation and exclusion.
Another troubling aspect of transnational repression is the pressure placed on students’ families in China to discourage political engagement abroad. Human rights organisations have reported cases in which family members of Chinese students were urged to intervene when students participated in protests or criticised the Chinese government. Some family members have even been arrested. As a result, students’ self-censorship becomes not only a personal choice, but also a protective measure.
Transnational repression is not unique to the academic world, nor is it limited to China. According to a Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) report, authoritarian regimes spy and control their citizens living abroad, and aim to pressure, bribe and blackmail them into providing information on people whom they consider a threat to the homeland, such as the political opposition, ethnic communities and separatist groups. While the Supo report does not directly discuss academic repression by China, it recognises that subject experts and people who actively engage in public discussions, are of interest to the CCP as they may have access to information that is of value to China and also ability to influence decision-making.
Transnational repression not only represents a threat to Chinese students but also to academic freedom and democracy more broadly. What makes transnational academic repression particularly worrying is that universities and other academic institutions are founded on principles of free speech, open debate and intellectual independence. If students feel unable to speak freely, these core values are undermined. Western universities are, however, often reluctant to interfere because of their financial reliance on Chinese student fees. This creates a tension between economic interests and the protection of academic freedom – and students are often the ones who pay the price.
It is the responsibility of universities, and also national governments, to ensure that all students feel part of the academic community where they can participate without fear of surveillance or intimidation. Transnational repression as a phenomenon should be better recognised and addressed not only as an issue that impacts students but also democratic institutions more broadly.
Heljä Ossa
Dr., Research Associate
London School of Economics
United Kingdom
