Sino-Australian academic ties have been misrepresented in a ¡°toxic¡± public debate over the broader bilateral relationship, a conference has heard.

Sydney investment advisor Kevin Hobgood-Brown said the ¡°noise¡± about higher education dealings between the two countries bore little resemblance to academics¡¯ daily reality.

¡°We see and hear things that appear to be ill-considered, poorly informed, sometimes malicious,¡± Mr Hobgood-Brown told the Foundation for Australian Studies in China (Fasic) conference in Suzhou, near Shanghai.

¡°Our bilateral relationship is like an iceberg. The discord is the 10 per cent that¡¯s visible. Ninety per cent is concealed beneath the water line.¡±

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Academic links with China are a hotly debated topic in Australia, amid concerns that teaching and research collaborations could be contributing to China¡¯s broader political and military aspirations.

Mr Hobgood-Brown, who is chairman of Fasic and a former lecturer at Peking University Law School, said this was a recent phenomenon. ¡°The discussion about China only turned toxic about five years ago and it¡¯s gotten progressively worse over that period,¡± he said.

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¡°Until recently, nobody used China as a political issue to bludgeon the opposition ¨C either the other side of politics or the opposition within their own party. It just didn¡¯t happen.

¡°But in a free and open society such as ours, anyone¡¯s got a platform. Apparently, all you need to do is say there¡¯s a threat, and a pox on anyone who disagrees because it¡¯s national security. Nobody wants to be seen to be in any way compromising national security.¡±

Mr Hobgood-Brown cited the recent decision to end the Confucius Institute contract with government schools in New South Wales. ¡°Someone pointed out that there were Chinese officials seconded as part of this programme, and that theoretically those people might be able to access department computers,¡± he said.

¡°Was there any allegation that they used those computers in a malicious way? Absolutely not. We¡¯ve lost perspective in our ability to take a balanced analysis of our relationship with China.¡±

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Mr Hobgood-Brown said most Australians obtained their information about China from third or fourth-hand sources. ¡°Even well-intentioned people can be misinformed, and it¡¯s hard to be properly informed about China,¡± he warned.

He welcomed new guidelines to prevent collaborative university research being used to harm Australia¡¯s interests, but said universities were already cautious. ¡°Every Australian university has [taken] a hard look at their engagement with China,¡± he said.

¡°They want to make sure that their engagements are proper; that no Australian interest is being damaged; and that they¡¯re doing the best for their students and stakeholders. Have they changed their policies? I don¡¯t know that any policies have needed to change.¡±

Australian entrepreneur Andrea Myles, who runs a bilateral leadership programme accredited by the University of Sydney, told the conference that the ¡°frosty¡± political relationship had forced her to suspend normal operations. Normally, 100 or so postgraduate students spend time in both countries exploring innovation, entrepreneurship and intercultural leadership.

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This year, the programme was wound back because of a lack of sponsors. ¡°This political difference ¨C it has impacts,¡± Ms Myles told the conference. ¡°When there is confidence and optimism, anything goes. When it gets really chilly, it¡¯s much more difficult.¡±

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com