Norwegian man with ties to Chinese university arrested on attempted espionage charges

A Norwegian man, once associated with a prestigious Chinese university from 2016-2020, was arrested last week and charged with attempted espionage in Norway. The man, who completed his bachelor’s degree in Norway and his master’s in South Africa, has refused to be questioned and denies the charges. His lawyer, Marius Dietrichson, declined to comment on the case.

One of his former professors in China expressed shock at the charges. The professor described the man as a very sharp student with a strong interest in the theory of international relations. The professor, who had close contact with the accused during his studies and was on the jury that assessed his doctorate, said: “I loved having him in my classes. He was interested, well-prepared and showed genuine interest. I got the impression that he wanted to make an academic career.”

Former classmates described him as capable and eager in debates. One noted that the accused man was very Western-oriented in his academic texts, which often led to disagreements with his supervisor during his studies in China.

The man’s supervisor, who was the vice-president of the university he studied at, is a seemingly highly respected Chinese academic with several stints at prestigious Western universities. Since 2018, he has also been part of the standing committee of the university’s party committee, indicating a high position within the Chinese Communist Party.

The European professor, who had a long-standing collaboration with the Chinese university, ended his association in 2021 as he felt that academic freedom at Chinese universities had become severely restricted. He also noted that most of the academics are party members, which is crucial for an academic career. The professor perceived that the accused man was dissatisfied with the supervision because of his supervisor’s career advancements.

Hans Jørgen Gåsemyr, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, said that the relationship between the Communist Party and academia in China has been close for several decades and has become even closer in recent years. He pointed out that most Chinese academics are members of the Communist Party or one of the collaborating parties.