China’s ambassador to the UK told Cambridge students to “serve the motherland” in a visit to the University, also holding talks with vice-chancellor Deborah Prentice about “mutually beneficial cooperation”.

Zheng Zeguang spoke to a group of around 20 Chinese students earlier this month (12/09), as well as meeting the vice-provost of King’s College and visiting the Maxwell research centre. The University has stressed that it is “not dependent” on China, saying that ambassadors “regularly” meet with students.

Speaking to the students, Zheng said that they should “serve the motherland as soon as they finish their studies and become pillars of the country who are capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities.”

The ambassador also told the students to “take patriotism” as the “foundation” of their studies. China’s UK embassy stated that Zheng also briefed the students on the “achievements of China’s development,” and inspired them to “love the country, study hard, [and] stay safe and support each other”. Zheng also met students at Oxford and Nottingham universities in April.

Cambridge is currently home to around 2,000 Chinese students. In the 2023 cycle, this demographic accounted for over 30% of the University’s overseas admissions. Overall, more than 150,000 Chinese students are enrolled at British universities, contributing nearly £6 billion to the sector through tuition fees alone.

The Chinese ambassador also met with Cambridge’s vice-chancellor. Professor Prentice discussed “Cambridge’s pursuit of excellence and innovation” and “the prospect of continuing to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with Chinese universities,” according to the embassy.

Some politicians have claimed that China exerts undue influence over its overseas students and British universities, while the Chinese embassy has said that security concerns over the CCP’s links to UK universities are “groundless”.

Students’ worries over the University’s links to China have focused on the CCP’s alleged genocide of Uyghur Muslims in the province of Xinjiang. In February, students launched a campaign against the University’s “silence” on the reported persecution, calling on its Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) to denounce China.

In June, the group, known as the Uyghur Rights Campaign, accused the Jesus College China Forum of dismissing Uyghur human rights concerns, due to its invitation of speakers with alleged links to the CCP.

A spokesperson for the University of Cambridge told The Telegraph: “Like many other universities, we regularly welcome overseas ambassadors who ask to visit students from their countries.”

“The University of Cambridge is not and never has been dependent on China. Less than 1 percent of our annual research grant is derived from China,” they continued.

The Chinese embassy has said: “Educational exchanges and cooperation between China and the UK are in the interest of both sides.”

They added, “the ambassador and our diplomats will continue to visit British educational institutions and schools at invitation, to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation with the UK side. The so-called security concerns over China-UK educational cooperation are groundless.”

The embassy continued: “We care deeply about overseas Chinese students and are resolute in safeguarding their personal safety and legitimate rights and interests, and will continue to learn about their situations through visits and provide them with better services,” adding: “It is also the common practice and duties for the embassies of other countries.”