But universities must recognise the risk that they are exposing themselves to, and the fact that they are threatening the future of their institutions by a continued overreliance on finance from a country that has been declared a strategic competitor and national security threat by governments across the West.

Chinese money is not a viable answer to the problems that universities face. And while the Chinese state has been more than forthcoming with direct funding in the form of Confucius Institutes, these should be treated with a high degree of suspicion and a realistic appraisal of the restrictions on intellectual and academic freedom that this money comes with.