This archive report was first published on 31 July 2019.
Published on July 31, 2019, a time when tensions between China and Hong Kong were escalating.
Mr. Yiu and Mr. Pavlou, both new to activism, were unaware of each other until a few weeks ago. Their paths converged due to recent events involving China.
Mr. Yiu, a former leader of the Hong Kong Student Association, had friends in Hong Kong who were marching for democracy against a bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.
Mr. Pavlou's outrage was sparked by reading about Xinjiang, a region of China where the government has pushed minority Muslims into re-education camps.
"It's cultural genocide," Mr. Pavlou said.
Both activists were shocked to discover that their university, the University of Queensland, had cultivated close ties with Chinese officials. The university's vice chancellor, Peter Hoj, has made more of this relationship than his peers have.
The Confucius Institute at the university plays a broader role, emphasizing collaboration with China in science, engineering, and technology. Until late last year, Mr. Hoj was an unpaid consultant for the Confucius Institute headquarters.
"It's part of this China illiteracy, which is quite prevalent in Australia," said Louisa Lim, a professor at the University of Melbourne. "In many cases, the allure of Chinese investment and large numbers of Chinese students has been so overwhelming that educational institutions have just thrown their arms wide open without doing their due diligence."
