Norwegian man, former student at Chinese university, arrested on espionage charges in Norway
A man from Norway, previously a student at a prestigious Chinese university from 2016-2020, has been arrested and remanded in custody on suspicion of espionage in Norway. His former professor in China expressed shock over the charges, stating they are very serious allegations. The accused had earned his bachelor’s degree in Norway and his master’s in South Africa before studying in China.
The European professor who had close contact with the accused during his studies described him as a sharp student with a strong interest in the theory of international relations. He was known to participate actively in debates and demonstrated a genuine interest in his studies. He also served on the jury that evaluated the Norwegian’s doctoral thesis.
The accused man has reportedly refused to be questioned and denies any criminal wrongdoing. His defense attorney, Marius Dietrichson, has declined to comment on the case.
The accused’s doctoral degree, submitted in March 2020, dealt with the behavior of Nordic countries towards and due to their geographical proximity to superpowers like Russia. His academic advisor was the vice president of the university he attended, a highly respected Chinese academic with several stints at Western prestige universities on his resume. The advisor was also a member of the university’s party committee since 2018, a common position for university leaders within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The European professor ended his collaboration with the Chinese university in 2021 after finding that the academic freedom at Chinese universities had been significantly curtailed. He mentioned that the situation had got worse over the years. He also noted that most academics at Chinese universities were party members, a crucial factor for an academic career in China.
Senior researcher Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs stated that the relationship between the CCP and academia in China has been closely knit for many years and has grown even tighter in recent years. He pointed out that most Chinese academics are members of the CCP or one of its affiliates.