Anti-China content fabricated in applications for overseas study

Some agencies providing services for people wanting to study abroad have added fabricated content including biased views about China and reactionary political comments in the students' admission documents to help them secure places in foreign universities, the Ministry of State Security has warned.

Such acts are not only highly irresponsible toward young students, but also damage the image of the country and pose a threat to national security, the ministry said in a statement released last week.

In one case, an agency told a student surnamed Zhang that a foreign university had opened an admissions "green channel" for Chinese students. It then offered to help make Zhang's admission documents more appealing so that Zhang would be eligible for the "green channel", making it easier to secure a place at the university, the ministry said.

Without Zhang's knowledge, the agency then added biased views about China and reactionary political comments in the admission documents, making Zhang look like a supporter of anti-China forces.

The agency's abnormal behavior caught the attention of State security departments. In May, the agency and the person in charge of it were disciplined in accordance with the law, the ministry said.

It added that some countries have tightened policies for receiving Chinese students and even tried to lure Chinese students into anti-China activities in recent years. To seek economic gains, some agencies providing overseas study services choose to use rumors and slander about China as tools to increase the students' chances of successful admission.

Some agencies have also employed foreign teachers with unknown backgrounds and certifications to edit students' admission documents in a manner that would be welcomed by anti-China forces.

Detailed implementation rules for China's Counter-Espionage Law say such fabrication endangers national security.

The ministry urged students and parents to be on alert when using agencies to apply for schools and universities overseas, and especially when they offer to improve admission documents. They should inform State security departments about suspicious activities that may endanger State security, it said.

cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn