Jesus College, Cambridge, took ‘high risk’ China cash

Jesus College took money from Tsinghua University, which is said to have close links to the Chinese military<cpi:div>
Jesus College took money from Tsinghua University, which is said to have close links to the Chinese military<cpi:div>
ALISDAIR MACDONALD/SHUTTERSTOCK

A leading Cambridge college accepted cash from a “very high risk” Chinese university for research into China’s prime tool of foreign influence, an inquiry has found.

Jesus College accepted funding from Tsinghua University, Beijing, for “background research” on foreign business involvement in China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2019, a freedom of information request by The Times reveals.

The disclosure may revive concerns that these associations with British universities are a form of “reputation washing” for China. The Belt and Road Initiative aims to project China’s influence through large-scale investments in other countries’ infrastructure.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a think tank based in Canberra, rates Tsinghua University, the alma mater of President Xi, as very high risk for security purposes owing to its close