This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/21/chinese-professor-sacked-xia-yeliang

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Chinese professor sacked amid free speech crackdown Chinese professor sacked amid free speech crackdown
(35 minutes later)
One of China's most prestigious universities has sacked an outspoken economics professor, raising concerns about the extent of an ongoing crackdown on free speech and dissent. One of China's most prestigious universities has sacked an outspoken economics professor, raising concerns about the extent of a continuing crackdown on free speech and dissent.
Xia Yeliang, an associate professor at Peking University's School of Economics since 2002, was notified on Friday that his contract would not be renewed. Rumours of his dismissal had been circulating for weeks. Xia Yeliang, an associate professor at Peking University's school of economics since 2002, was notified on Friday that his contract would not be renewed. Rumours of his dismissal had been circulating for weeks.
In an online statement, the school denied that the 53-year-old economist – a long-time advocate for constitutionalism and democracy – was fired for political reasons, adding that a faculty committee decided to sack him for "poor teaching" in a 30-3 vote. The university said Xia was the school's "worst-ranked teacher for many years in a row," adding that he had garnered 340 student complaints since 2006. His contract will expire on 31 January. In an online statement, the school denied that the 53-year-old economist – a long-time advocate for constitutionalism and democracy – was fired for political reasons, adding that a faculty committee decided to sack him for "poor teaching" in a 30-3 vote. The university said Xia was the school's "worst-ranked teacher for many years in a row", adding that he had been the subject of 340 student complaints since 2006. His contract will expire on 31 January.
Xia shot to prominence in 2008 after helping Liu Xiaobo, the imprisoned Nobel peace prize laureate, draft Charter 08, a petition demanding sweeping reforms to China's authoritarian one-party system. In 2009, he wrote a widely-circulated blog criticising the then-propaganda minister Liu Yunshan for overseeing a draconian censorship regime. Liu is now a member of China's highest ruling body, the seven-person Politburo Standing Committee. Xia rose to prominence in 2008 after helping Liu Xiaobo, the imprisoned Nobel peace prize laureate, draft Charter 08, a petition demanding sweeping reforms to China's authoritarian one-party system. In 2009, he wrote a widely circulated blog criticising the then-propaganda minister Liu Yunshan for overseeing a draconian censorship regime. Liu is now a member of China's highest ruling body, the seven-person Politburo Standing Committee.
He claims that the school sacked him under pressure from high-level authorities.He claims that the school sacked him under pressure from high-level authorities.
"[Peking University] kept warning me: I cannot tell foreign media I was fired for political reasons but purely academic ones," Xia told the Washington Post. "Even now, having been fired, I cannot say it is political. In China, they can take harsh measures against you – for example, attacking my family members." Xia's wife works at Peking University."[Peking University] kept warning me: I cannot tell foreign media I was fired for political reasons but purely academic ones," Xia told the Washington Post. "Even now, having been fired, I cannot say it is political. In China, they can take harsh measures against you – for example, attacking my family members." Xia's wife works at Peking University.
Xia's expulsion comes amid a nationwide crackdown on even moderate forms of dissent. Since the summer, Communist party-backed media have launched a united charge against "Western values"; authorities have detained scores of outspoken bloggers and activists for "spreading online rumours" and organising small-scale demonstrations. Xia's expulsion comes amid a nationwide crackdown on even moderate forms of dissent. Since the summer, Communist party-backed media have launched a united charge against "western values"; authorities have detained scores of outspoken bloggers and activists for "spreading online rumours" and organising small-scale demonstrations.
Last month, 136 faculty members at the US's Wellesley College, which is currently planning an academic partnership with the university, protested against Xia's expected dismissal in an open letter to its president, Wang Enge. "We believe that dismissing Professor Xia for political reasons is such a fundamental violation of academic freedom that we, as individuals, would find it very difficult to engage in scholarly exchanges with Peking University," it said. Last month, 136 faculty members at the Wellesley College, Massachusetts, which is planning an academic partnership with the university, protested against Xia's expected dismissal in an open letter to its president, Wang Enge. "We believe that dismissing Professor Xia for political reasons is such a fundamental violation of academic freedom that we, as individuals, would find it very difficult to engage in scholarly exchanges with Peking University," it said.
Xia has been a visiting professor at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.Xia has been a visiting professor at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.
"I'd like to make a call to universities nationwide," Xia tweeted to his 36,000 followers on Sunday night. "If your honorable university doesn't believe that I'm qualified for a teaching post, please give me an administrative position at your library. Peking University's School of Economics has once more emphasized that the termination of my contract has nothing to do with politics, so please don't worry about the hire.""I'd like to make a call to universities nationwide," Xia tweeted to his 36,000 followers on Sunday night. "If your honorable university doesn't believe that I'm qualified for a teaching post, please give me an administrative position at your library. Peking University's School of Economics has once more emphasized that the termination of my contract has nothing to do with politics, so please don't worry about the hire."
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.