By William Walker.
For two enormously different legal systems across two very different countries Chinese bonds are being forged with the UK in a small town on the North Wales coast. Bangor University is to be the site of a new Confucian Institute that aims to introduce Chinese culture and language from a legal perspective. The project, part funded by the Chinese ministry of education will offer students a joint LLB in Law and Chinese, giving applicants the opportunity to live and work in China as part of the initiative.
The Institute, to be formally opened in September, is one of a network of more than 320 all over the world that seek to promote awareness of Chinese culture and language. “Chinese culture is playing an increasingly important role in regional and global economic development” vice-chancellor of Bangor University Professor John Hughes explained, “and is making its presence felt in a variety of international arenas, including here in the north Wales region.”
Critics, including Professor Richard Moorhead of Cardiff Law School, argue that the move will benefit Chinese graduates over those from the UK, suggesting “I imagine they would be more interested in native Chinese students with a law degree. “Others argue that this is tantamount to opportunism and that China is merely seeking another resource to exploit; in this instance training and educating legal experts to ultimately operate in Chinese law firms.
With traditionally wealthy economies such as France tightening their belts following the closure of some of its already impressive number of similar cultural institutes around the world, critics argue this is as much a showcase of China’s ability to invest as its much purported willingness to engender a cultural identity. On the contrary, Professor Huang Jin views the project as a fantastic opportunity to forge ties and improve relations, observing “Eastern and the Western cultures share common values, which are pursued through different paths.”
