China’s Relationship to NZ University Revealed
For months, PILLAR has been warning that New Zealand universities cannot afford to be complacent about foreign interference.
Yesterday we received several documents from Victoria University following an Official Information Request that we submitted.
These documents revealed the breadth and depth of relationship between the university’s Confucius Institute and the PRC’s Embassy in NZ and the China based Xiamen University.
Since 2021, the Institute has received approximately NZ$1.7 million in disclosed funding from Xiamen University, including more than $614,000 during 2025.
Earlier funding was provided by Hanban, the former Chinese government body responsible for Confucius Institutes.
The Institute’s board has said it should help Victoria deepen its connections with China, act as “a channel for senior leadership to engage with China”, facilitate research and scholarships, and serve as “a channel to the Chinese Embassy” for wider university initiatives.
We were denied some of the requested information on the grounds that the release of the information would potentially prejudice the security of New Zealand or our international relationships…(?!)
We also asked for assessments or formal advice they had received about risks to academic freedom or institutional independence arising from the Confucius Institute's arrangements with PRC-based entities.
But “the information does not exist”…
This is worrying…
The NZSIS 2026 Security Threat Environment report this year said that foreign states can seek access and information through legitimate academic exchanges and partnerships.
It also says that the PRC is the only country conducting espionage against New Zealand “at scale.”
NZSIS says academic exchanges, recruitment programmes and scholarships can sometimes be used to obtain sensitive information, disguise military or intelligence involvement or create financial leverage over academics.
Despite these warnings, no advice, or information about threats to academic freedom or institutional independence exists...
We made contact with Auckland University and University of Canterbury about their own arrangement but have yet to hear from them.
Australia, the US, and like-minded nations in Europe have already taken proactive actions to review arrangements with Confucius Institutes on their campuses.
Australia has closed down 6 and the US has closed almost of all theirs.
There’s been little action here in New Zealand.
International engagement with China is legitimate. Teaching Mandarin is valuable. Academic collaboration matters.
However, this is about ensuring New Zealand universities retain academic freedom, institutional independence and adequate safeguards against foreign interference.
If we fail to be vigilant, we will give ground to those that wish to consume the agency of our institutions, culture, and eventually freedoms at large.
PILLAR is campaigning to ensure that New Zealand universities urgently review, tighten oversight of, and consider ending Confucius Institute arrangements where required in light of contemporary security risks.
Thank you for standing with us.
