University of Texas at Austin rejects funding from Hong Kong-based foundation, citing its links to Communist Party

The University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin) has reportedly rejected funding from a foundation helmed by Hong Kong’s former leader, amid concerns it is linked to a branch of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) dedicated to helping the country achieve global influence.

Letters exchanged between university president Gregory Fenves and US senator Ted Cruz of Texas and published by The Washington Post on Monday revealed the school recently decided it would not accept money from the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) – headed by Hong Kong’s first chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa – for its China Public Policy Centre programmes, student exchanges or other initiatives.

In a letter to Fenves on January 2, Cruz described the Hong Kong-based CUSEF as a “pseudo-philanthropic foundation” with ties to the CCP.

The Republican senator added that Tung serves as vice-chairman of China’s top political advisory body – the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference – and that the body works closely with the party’s united front work department, “the structure the CCP utilises to manage foreign influence operations”.

China simply takes a leaf out of US book

“I am deeply concerned that collaborating with CUSEF, given its affiliation with the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) united front system ... would disseminate PRC propaganda within the [China Public Policy] Centre and compromise its credibility,” Cruz, a former US presidential hopeful in the 2016 race, said.