Ukraine has compiled a list of 70 foreign academics whose statements about the war are deemed to be not credible. One of them is a professor of international relations at Aalborg University, Li Xing. 

Although Professor Li Xing has a Chinese background, he has been a researcher at Aalborg University for ten years.

His field of study is mainly Chinese-related issues. On his homepage, he mentioned Russia-Ukraine relations in an article about the China-Russia Joint Statement in March this year.

New world order
In the article, Professor Li refers to the joint China-Russia Joint Statement as marking a “new era” in the world’s movement towards multipolarity – a new order in which the US-led West are no longer the sole rule-makers. He also analyses the special significance of the Sino-Russian alliance in stopping Nordic expansion.

“The document claims that the NATO plan to enlarge its membership to encircle Russia will bring security to the western side, but it is a danger for Russia. It is a national security concern,” he wrote.

He believes this statement has important implications for the War in Ukraine.

An infringement of academic freedom?
Professor Li refused to accept the criticism of the Ukrainian authorities.

“I am not pro-Russian. I’m just saying the war has a long history,” he told the university’s official magazine.

Aalborg University has also defended him, stressing the importance of freedom of speech for academics, provided their opinions are based on sound science and objectivity.