UK-China Transparency has published a new research report on the Lau China Institute at King’s College London, along with a tranche of data about the Institute that was obtained through Freedom of Information requests.
The report describes how:
- The Lau China Institute at King’s College London is the UK’s largest China studies
centre.
- 99.9% of the Institute’s funding comes from a single donor from Hong Kong in the
People’s Republic of China, Mr Lau Ming-wai. Lau has given at least £11 million to
King’s to date in support of the Institute. In 2017, Lau was made a fellow of King’s.
Lau’s support is ongoing.
- Lau has served as an advisor to the government of Hong Kong working on Hong
Kong’s “integration” with China and on Chinese Communist Party United Front work
targeting young people from Hong Kong. He was also given a formal role at a body
overseen by the CCP’s United Front Work Department.
- King’s have been asked (via Freedom of Information requests and directly) what
terms or restrictions, if any, were attached to Lau’s donations, whether Lau made any
request concerning the appointment of a director for the Institute, and for information
about Lau’s engagement with the Institute.
- King’s has not disclosed this information. Following an appeal to the Information
Commissioner’s Office, the Commissioner upheld the position of King’s. UK-China
Transparency is now appealing to the First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory
Chamber).
- The Institute’s director, Professor Kerry Brown, in 2020 received an award from a
Chinese government think-tank for “telling a good story about China and
disseminating China’s voice well”. Brown has been a frequent contributor to Chinese
state media outlets.
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