“Indoctrination” Claim: UK Report Alleges China Trained 6,000 Mauritian Officials

A bombshell report from the UK’s The Telegraph has sent shockwaves through Port Louis and London alike, alleging that over 6,000 Mauritian public officials have undergone training—described by British politicians as “indoctrination”—by the Chinese government. The report directly links this to the impending sovereignty handover of the Chagos Archipelago, casting a dark shadow of espionage and geopolitical rivalry over the historic agreement.

The article alleges a vast and deepening cooperation with Beijing.

According to The Telegraph, more than 6,000 officials from various ministries and local authorities have “benefitted from various training programmes,” with “many who travelled to China for specialised courses.”

The training areas reportedly range from public sector “capacity building” to the integration of artificial intelligence.

The report has ignited a firestorm in the UK, where the Conservative opposition has seized on the figures as “proof” of a grave danger.

The shadow foreign secretary, Dame Priti Patel, is quoted calling it evidence officials are being “trained and indoctrinated by China,” warning of a “real risk” to UK and US national security.

The concern stems from the terms of the Chagos treaty, negotiated by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government.

The deal would see sovereignty transferred to Mauritius, while the UK would lease back the strategic Diego Garcia military base—a critical asset for US and UK operations in the Indian Ocean.

Critics fear that a Mauritius with deep institutional ties to China could compromise the base’s security, potentially forcing the disclosure of confidential operational information.

“Contributing to Friendship”

The Telegraph report paints a picture of a relationship that extends beyond the classroom.

It mentions a “China Training Reunion Reception” at the Chinese embassy in Port Louis, where hundreds of past trainees were encouraged by the Chinese ambassador to apply their learnings to “contribute to strengthening the China-Mauritius friendship.”

Furthermore, the report claims analysis shows a surge in public engagement from the Chinese embassy in Mauritius—from 17 press releases in the year before the Chagos treaty was signed in May 2025, to 80 in the eight months after.

This “collusion,” as labelled by the UK Tories, reportedly includes initiatives like Chinese language competitions in schools and overtures for Mauritius to formally join China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Mauritius in the Crossfire

For Mauritius, these allegations place the nation squarely in the crosshairs of a great power struggle.

The government has long framed its training engagements with numerous international partners, including China, as essential for modernizing its public service and developing national expertise.

However, the The Telegraph’s framing of this cooperation as “indoctrination” and a direct threat to Western security transforms a point of national pride into a geopolitical liability.

The report questions whether officials trained by Beijing could eventually play a role in administering the Chagos Islands, implicitly casting doubt on Mauritius’s ability to be a neutral and sovereign steward.

The UK government has already delayed a Parliamentary debate on the Chagos treaty following criticism from former US President Donald Trump, who called the deal an act of “great stupidity.”

This latest report from a major British newspaper is certain to fuel further opposition, turning what was a diplomatic achievement for Port Louis into an international controversy.

As of now, the Mauritian government has not issued an official response to The Telegraph’s specific allegations.

The coming days will test the nation’s diplomacy as it navigates the treacherous waters between its long-held sovereignty claims and the escalating fears of its Western partners.

Source: Telegraph