According to an Epoch Times report, a Chinese scholar received considerable resistance from his school when he tried to conduct a research project on WeChat.
James Jing, 39, a China-born Australian immigrant, came to Australia over ten years ago. He has been teaching at the Curtin University in Australia for 12 years. He is working on his PhD degree. For his PhD dissertation he chose the topic, “The Study of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Censorship System and Social Media Platform on WeChat.” However, he could not get any help from his professors.
Tencent, the company that developed WeChat, has sponsored several activities and projects at the Curtin University.
Jing felt that his academic life has been ended and that the main reason was the CCP’s influence. “I never thought that the CCP had extended its tentacles to the other side of the ocean.” “Curtin’s censorship and self-censorship (on behalf of the CCP) has created a blockage to certain extent. I think it will restrain the potential of its Chinese scholars.”
Jing also acknowledged that discussing this issue openly may result in consequences for him. Nevertheless, his conscience told him that he must go forward. He said, “I have come to the land of Australia and become an Australian citizen. I need to defend Australian values, just like the national anthem ‘Advance Australia Fair.’”
Curtin University denied that the school has adopted self-censorship.
Source: Epoch Times, November 11, 2019
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/19/11/11/n11647561.htm