Before long, Chinese students who want to study in the Netherlands will not be able anymore to turn to the representative body of Dutch higher education in Beijing. The Nuffic Netherlands Education Support Office (Neso) will close its doors as of 1 June. The Nuffic has offices in ten countries which promote Dutch higher education and recruit foreign students. In order to gain a foothold in China the Neso in 2001 had to be lodged with a Chinese education agency, within which it could work independently. However, the Chinese partner organization now wishes to get a firmer grip on the activities conducted by the Neso. For example, the Chinese want to have a say in which educational institutes the Neso enters into partnerships with. For Nuffic the Chinese influence is unacceptable, because it is Dutch tax money that pays for the activities. Nuffic is now investigating whether the Neso can continue its activities in China in another form. It will first be necessary to examine the Chinese legislation and regulations applicable to the establishment of foreign companies. Current activities will as of 1 June be continued from Nuffic’s head office in The Hague. (HOP)