Radio Free Asia Chinese Edition recently reported that the Canadian government announced that university researchers must pass a national security risk assessment when applying for government funding. This is to prevent intellectual property resources from falling into the hands of foreign governments or their agents. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has previously warned on many occasions that organizations or persons with ties to China and Russia are trying to steal intelligence from Canada. An Australian report pointed out that, under the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Canada has become the third most popular destination for scientists. Ottawa’s new policy is a good start. Unfortunately, the effect may be limited because, if these university researchers fail to get funding from Ottawa, they can still get it from other sources like Chinese institutions or companies, such as Huawei. Human Rights Watch, an international organization, pointed out that some university researchers deliberately failed to look into the source of funding or partners. The Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Francois-Philippe Champagne said that Ottawa’s new policy aims to protect intellectual property rights, and he is not worried that China may be unhappy with the required security reviews.
Source: RFA Chinese, July 13, 2021
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junshiwaijiao/lf-07132021135355.html