Germany warns of spying ‘risks’ with some China students

Germany warns of spying ‘risks’ with some China students
Germany's education minister on Saturday called for a revision of student exchange practices with China, citing an increased risk of scientific espionage posed by Chinese students. (AFP/File)
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Updated 29 July 2023
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Germany warns of spying ‘risks’ with some China students

Germany warns of spying ‘risks’ with some China students
  • According to recent reports published in Deutsche Welle and the Correctiv investigative platform, recipients of these scholarships must sign a loyalty oath to the Chinese state
  • In mid-July, Germany toughened its approach to China, publishing a 64-page strategy in response to a “more assertive” China, sparking ire from Beijing

BERLIN: Germany’s education minister on Saturday called for a revision of student exchange practices with China, citing an increased risk of scientific espionage posed by Chinese students who come to study in Germany on full state scholarships.
“China is becoming more and more competitive and is a systemic rival in the domain of science and research,” Bettina Stark-Watzinger said in an interview published on Saturday by the Mediengruppe Bayern.
The minister hailed a decision by the Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) in Bavaria, which regularly partners with German industry in research projects, to no longer accept China students whose sole financing comes from the China Scholarship Council (CSC), which is a state institution.
According to recent reports published in Deutsche Welle and the Correctiv investigative platform, recipients of these scholarships must sign a loyalty oath to the Chinese state or risk legal proceedings.
Stark-Watzinger hailed the German university for its decision, saying it was motivated by “the realization that the freedom of opinion and scientific freedom anchored in German Basic Law cannot be fully exercised by the CSC scholarship recipients due to the conditions of their scholarships and there also exists an increased risk of scientific espionage.”
“The FAU decision should prompt other institutions to revisit the terms of their cooperation with the CSC,” she said.
In mid-July, Germany toughened its approach to China, publishing a 64-page strategy in response to a “more assertive” China, sparking ire from Beijing.
The document, covering security policy as well as economic and scientific cooperation, was the product of months of wrangling within the German government over its strategy toward China.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted Thursday that Berlin had “reacted to a China that has changed and become more assertive,” and that his government wanted to reduce economic reliance on Beijing in critical areas.
Beijing said the new approach would increase “man-made risks” and “exacerbate divisions” in the world.
Berlin’s harder line has sparked fears in German industry, which has grown increasingly dependent on China.
Corporate giants such as Volkswagen and Siemens have in recent months outlined growth strategies that rely heavily on the Chinese market.


Global development must be equitable: Indian FM

Global development must be equitable: Indian FM
Updated 4 sec ago
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Global development must be equitable: Indian FM

Global development must be equitable: Indian FM
  • Days when ‘a few nations set the agenda … are over,’ Subrahmanyam Jaishankar says
  • Minister praises India’s progress on technology, social reform

NEW YORK: Global development must be equitable and resist hegemony, India’s external affairs minister said on Tuesday.

“The days when a few nations set the agenda and expect others to fall in line are over,” Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said.

The politician also condemned what he described as unequal contributions to global development, including the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and “an evasion of historical responsibilities” regarding climate action.

India, he said, was part of several emerging alliances and economic blocs, including the I2U2 group, which also includes Israel, the US and the UAE.

The country sought to maintain its old relationships and create new ones, Jaishankar said, something that was evident in the expansion of the strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the US — known as the Quad — and the economic bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“At India’s initiative, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20,” he said.

“This significant step in reform should inspire the United Nations — a much older organization — to also make the Security Council contemporary.”

India has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 16 years. It is also part of the G4 Alliance, which calls for the reform of the council and the accession to it of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan as permanent members.

“Recently we hosted the creation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor,” he said.

“The forging of the Global Biofuels Alliance was another notable development. This willingness to work in an open-minded manner on specific domains is now a defining characteristic of the emerging multipolar order.”

Earlier this month, seven countries and the EU signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the creation of the IMEC corridor during the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

The corridor will include two separate paths: an eastern section that will connect India to western Asia and the Middle East, and a northern section that will link west Asia and the Middle East to Europe.

The corridor, which is expected to bring major economic developments to India, will also pass through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel.

Jaishankar also praised India’s development in the fields of technology, infrastructure and social reform, referencing the country’s first moon landing last month and a bill that will reserve one-third of Indian parliamentary seats for women.

India, which is the world’s most populous country and has the fifth-largest economy, is also the largest contributor to meeting sustainable development goal targets, according to Jaishankar.


Saudi Arabia praises contribution of Filipinos to Kingdom’s development

Saudi Arabia praises contribution of Filipinos to Kingdom’s development
Updated 26 September 2023
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Saudi Arabia praises contribution of Filipinos to Kingdom’s development

Saudi Arabia praises contribution of Filipinos to Kingdom’s development
  • Workers from the country began to arrive in the Kingdom in the early 1970s
  • President is expected to visit KSA in October

MANILA: The Saudi ambassador to the Philippines has praised the contribution of Filipinos to the development of the Kingdom during celebrations in Manila to mark the Kingdom’s National Day.

Workers from the Philippines began to arrive in Saudi Arabia in the early 1970s. Most of them were engineers who helped build highways across the Kingdom.

Today, more than 800,000 of them live in Saudi Arabia, making it the preferred destination for overseas Filipino workers.

“The Kingdom appreciates the contributions of overseas Filipino workers in various areas, which have played a crucial role in the Kingdom’s advancement,” Ambassador Hisham Al-Qahtani said during a ceremony commemorating the 93rd Saudi National Day on Monday evening.

“We greatly value the mutual support and collaboration between our countries, as seen through our active participation in regional and international forums, enhancing economic cooperation and fostering a strong partnership.”

Saudi Arabia and the Philippines will mark the 54th anniversary of bilateral ties next month, and Al-Qahtani extended his best wishes to the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Marcos is expected to visit Saudi Arabia in October to attend the first Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, which will be held in Riyadh.

“His visit will further strengthen the strong, friendly, and vibrant relations that happily exist between our two countries and peoples,” said Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Antonio Morales, who represented Secretary Enrique Manalo during the National Day event.

“I am confident that our countries can continue working together and build upon our strong bilateral ties with a shared vision of inclusive progress and sustainable growth.”

Saudi Arabia has been seen in the Philippines as “the epitome of a nation with a vision for the future,” Morales said.

“The whole world now sees Saudi Arabia as a model of bridging the past and the future where heritage and history are intertwined with urbanism, cultural shifts, and international competitiveness. The Kingdom’s foresight towards a thriving economy and a vibrant society will open up opportunities for a brighter tomorrow.”


Indonesians celebrate closer ties with Kingdom at Saudi National Day ceremony

Saudi Ambassador Faisal Abdullah Amodi and top Indonesian leaders inaugurate Saudi National Day celebrations in Jakarta.
Saudi Ambassador Faisal Abdullah Amodi and top Indonesian leaders inaugurate Saudi National Day celebrations in Jakarta.
Updated 12 min 24 sec ago
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Indonesians celebrate closer ties with Kingdom at Saudi National Day ceremony

Saudi Ambassador Faisal Abdullah Amodi and top Indonesian leaders inaugurate Saudi National Day celebrations in Jakarta.
  • Relations expected to reach ‘strategic level’ when Indonesia’s president visits Riyadh in October
  • Top Indonesian leadership took part in Saudi National Day celebrations in Jakarta

JAKARTA: Indonesians welcomed increasing interactions with Saudi Arabia as they took part in celebrations to commemorate the Kingdom’s 93rd National Day in Jakarta on Monday.

Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority nation and a country of 270 million people, has been a staunch supporter of Saudi Arabia and its leadership. A Lowy Institute survey showed in 2021 that of all world leaders, Indonesians held the most confidence in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi-Indonesian ties span centuries, but have only recently gained momentum, when King Salman arrived in Indonesia in 2017. The trip was historic as the first by a Saudi monarch since King Faisal bin Abdulaziz visited Jakarta in 1970.

In the past six years, high-level bilateral exchanges have been on the rise on the political level and in business, especially after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took part in the G20 leaders’ summit in Bali, when Indonesia held the group’s rotating presidency in 2022.

Both countries expect to boost their ties even more when President Joko Widodo visits Riyadh next month.

The upcoming trip was announced by Saudi Ambassador Faisal Abdullah Amodi and Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas during a ceremony held in Jakarta as part of events hosted by the Kingdom around the world to mark its National Day.

The Indonesian president’s visit “is expected to contribute effectively to the relations between the two countries reaching a strategic level,” Amodi told the audience, which included Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin, the former president and leader of the ruling party, Megawati Sukarnoputri, the former vice president, Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan, and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.

As Widodo is scheduled to meet the crown prince, Indonesia hopes the trip will “open up an even more strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia,” Quomas said.

“Brotherhood between our countries will be even stronger in the coming years.”

The National Day ceremony, which featured traditional Saudi sword dancing, a display of the Kingdom’s megaprojects under Vision 2030 and a performance by the Saudi School in Jakarta, has already brought Saudis and Indonesian closer together.

“Both countries are highly respectful of one another, and I think that’s why all these top officials like Megawati, Jusuf Kalla, Prabowo and Ma’ruf Amin were all here,” Fay Kadaroesman, vice president of Women’s International Club Jakarta, told Arab News. “I can tell that relations are very close, and it’s really good.”

For Subhan Cholid, head of the Indonesian Hajj Organization Committee, the ceremony was an opportunity to meet Saudis and forge new friendships.

“With this event we were able to meet, talk, and chat,” he said. “We could meet and celebrate together, be a part of a shared National Day celebrations.”

And the sentiment was mutual.

Jameel Saeed Kabbarah, vice chairman of the board of directors of the Cooperative Maritime Business Association, who arrived in Indonesia from Jeddah for a family vacation, was for the first time celebrating National Day outside the Kingdom.

“It’s good to see different people. The world is very small nowadays,” he said. “I’m very proud to be part of this crowd and celebrate this great occasion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”


Polish minister must tone down criticism of migration film, court says

Polish minister must tone down criticism of migration film, court says
Updated 26 September 2023
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Polish minister must tone down criticism of migration film, court says

Polish minister must tone down criticism of migration film, court says
  • The black-and-white film shows a family from Syria and a woman from Afghanistan thrown backwards and forward across the border by brutal guards indifferent to their suffering
  • The movie drew a furious response from conservatives in Poland even before its release in Polish cinemas on Friday

WARSAW: Poland’s justice minister must not compare film director Agnieszka Holland or her work to authoritarian regimes, a Warsaw court said on Tuesday, after the minister likened Holland’s film depicting the Belarus border migrant crisis to Nazi propaganda.
With migration a key issue ahead of Oct. 15 elections, the ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS) have pushed Holland’s award-winning film ‘Green Border’ to center stage in the campaign, condemning its portrayal of the treatment of migrants at the border and accusing Holland of insulting people who were protecting their country.
Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro compared the film to Nazi German propaganda, spurring Holland to demand an apology and threatening court action in the absence of one.
In his post on social media network X, Ziobro said: “In the Third Reich, the Germans produced propaganda films showing Poles as bandits and murderers. Today they have Agnieszka Holland for that.”
The black-and-white film shows a family from Syria and a woman from Afghanistan thrown backwards and forward across the border by brutal guards indifferent to their suffering, as activists struggled to try to bring them to safety.
After the court’s ruling on Tuesday, Holland’s lawyers Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram and Michal Wawrykiewicz wrote on X: “As Agnieszka Holland’s representatives, we would like to inform you that the District Court in Warsaw has issued an order prohibiting Zbigniew Ziobro from speaking about Ms. Holland and her works, comparing them to criminal authoritarian regimes.”
The movie drew a furious response from conservatives in Poland even before its release in Polish cinemas on Friday.
Holland hit back at the criticism in an interview with private broadcaster TVN24 on Monday, labelling the government “a disgrace to Poland” and their actions against her work “unprecedented.”
Deputy Justice Minister Sebastian Kaleta said Holland and her legal team were in effect blocking Ziobro’s right to free speech.
“Minister Ziobro and every citizen has a right to present their views and opinions,” he told Reuters. “Ms Holland wants to refuse him this right.”
Migrants, largely from North African and the Middle East, started flocking to the border in 2021 after Belarus, a Russian ally, opened travel agencies in the Middle East offering an unofficial route into Europe, a move Brussels said was designed to create a crisis. Poland has refused to let them cross.


Bulgarians accused of being Russian spies appear in UK court

Bulgarians accused of being Russian spies appear in UK court
Updated 26 September 2023
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Bulgarians accused of being Russian spies appear in UK court

Bulgarians accused of being Russian spies appear in UK court
  • They did not enter a plea at this stage and were remanded in custody until their next appearance at London’s Old Bailey court on Oct. 13
  • Prosecutor Kathryn Selby told Westminster Magistrates’ Court the defendants were accused of being part of an organized network

LONDON: Five Bulgarian nationals accused of being part of a Russian spying network in Britain, tasked with carrying out surveillance and obtaining information about targets, appeared by videolink in a London court on Tuesday.
The three men and two women are accused of conspiring “to collect information intended to be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy for a purpose prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state” between Aug. 30, 2020 and Feb. 8, 2023.
Orlin Roussev, 45, Bizer Dzhambazov, 41, Katrin Ivanova, 31, Ivan Stoyanov, 31, and Vanya Gaberova, 29, all Bulgarian nationals who lived in London and Norfolk, were arrested by counterterrorism police in February this year.
They did not enter a plea at this stage and were remanded in custody until their next appearance at London’s Old Bailey court on Oct. 13.
Roussev, Dzhambazov, and Ivanova had already been charged with identity document offenses and are due to appear at the Old Bailey on Thursday over those allegations.
Describing the charges, prosecutor Kathryn Selby told Westminster Magistrates’ Court the defendants were accused of being part of an organized network which had carried out surveillance and hostile action on behalf of Russia against specific targets, including for potential abductions.
Selby said Roussev’s home was the group’s alleged operating hub in Britain, and said the network had been given tasking by a person known as Jan Marsalek.
Marsalek, the former chief operating officer for collapsed payments company Wirecard, is wanted by German police over alleged fraud and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
He has not been charged with any crime in Britain but was named as an alleged co-conspirator in the charges against the five Bulgarians. The office of Marsalek’s lawyer declined to comment. Britain has been seeking to take tougher action on external security threats and potential spies, and in July passed a national security law, aiming at overhauling its means of deterring espionage and foreign interference with new tools and criminal provisions.
At the time, the government labelled Russia as “the most acute threat” to its security.
There has been no response from the Russian embassy in London to the news of the accusations.
Last November, Britain’s domestic spy chief said more than 400 suspected Russian spies had been expelled from Europe, striking the “most significant strategic blow” against Moscow in recent history.