A non-profit organization has filed a lawsuit against the largest China research institute in the UK, questioning whether its academic freedom is influenced by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The institute, Lau China Institute (LCI) at King’s College London, receives 99.9% of its funding from Hong Kong businessman Lau Ming-wai, who has ties to CCP’s United Front system.
According to a report released by the UK-China Transparency organization on Monday, the Lau China Institute was established in 2011, with 30 doctoral students and 11 core members, totaling 76 members. In 2015, Kerry Brown was appointed as the director of the institute.
Lau Ming-wai, the son of prominent Hong Kong tycoon Lau Luen-hung, has reportedly donated at least £11 million to LCI, as disclosed by the UK-China Transparency report. The Lau family is considered one of the wealthiest families in Hong Kong, with estimated assets exceeding $10 billion.
Lau Ming-wai obtained his Bachelor’s and Doctorate degrees in Law from King’s College and was granted the title of research fellow in 2017 due to his “extraordinary donation.”
According to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, UK-China Transparency sought disclosure of restrictions and conditions imposed on Lau Ming-wai’s donations to King’s College, which were refused. The organization has now taken legal action against LCI in the First-tier Tribunal to obtain the requested information.
Lau Ming-wai has held official positions in multiple advisory bodies of the Hong Kong government and has been involved in “united front activities” targeting Hong Kong youth. For example, from 2010 to 2013, he served as a member of the Greater Pearl River Delta Business Council, which aims to facilitate “economic integration” between Hong Kong and mainland China, including making recommendations to the CCP.
From 2018 to 2022, Lau served as Vice Chairman of the Youth Development Council (previously Chairman of the Youth Affairs Council from 2015 to 2018). In a March 2016 interview with The New York Times, he expressed support for the CCP’s promotion of “patriotic education” in Hong Kong.
Between 2013 and 2018, Lau was listed as a “specially invited person” and became a member of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an organization closely associated with the CCP’s United Front Work Department.
Meanwhile, LCI’s director Brown received an award from a CCP think tank in 2020 for “telling China’s story well and spreading positive Chinese voices,” and frequently publishes articles in CCP’s official media.
In a summary report released in 2020, LCI stated its commitment to conducting “world-class research and education” while establishing connections with Chinese (CCP) educational, business, and government institutions.
The institute collaborates with various global organizations, including Transparency International, the World Bank, BHP Billiton, and the G20, which it states demonstrates the global and international relevance of its research topics.
LCI claims to have become a significant information source for policymakers and public discussions on China-related issues, asserting its substantial influence on the form and direction of policies and public discourse on China by collaborating with “key stakeholders in the UK, Europe, and China.”
According to a report published by the UK think tank Civitas at the end of 2023, over the past 5 years, 46 UK universities have collectively received approximately £122 to £156 million in Chinese funding, with one-third of the funds being related to the CCP military.
The report indicated that three UK universities received funding directly linked to entities associated with the CCP military, including the University of Westminster, the University of Huddersfield, and Cranfield University, known for defense research.
In 2024, reports emerged that academics at Imperial College London have collaborated with personnel from core institutions of CCP’s military industry since 2023, engaging in at least five research projects with potential military applications and listed as co-authors of papers.
To counteract CCP infiltration in UK universities, the Conservative government passed the Higher Education Free Speech Act, requiring transparency and disclosure of overseas funding sources to safeguard academic freedom from foreign influences.
However, in July, the newly elected Labour Party Education Minister announced the suspension of the implementation of the act to ensure the “financial stability” of the higher education sector.