The open letter, signed by many prominent western scholars such as Tani Barlow, Arif Dirlik, Gayatri C. Spivak and Frederic Jameson, frames the plagiarism charge as an "attack from the popular media in China" and defends Wang Hui's academic integrity:
Barua hiyo ya wazi, iliyotiwa saini na wanazuoni wenye majina mkubwa wa kimagharibi kama vile Tani Barlow, Arif Dirlik, Gayatri C. Spivak na Frederic Jameson,imezichukulia shutuma hizo za wizi wa kitaaluma kama "mashambulizi kutoka katika vyombo vya habari vya Uchina vinavyojitafutia umaarufu" na inatetea umadhubuti wa kitaaluma wa Wang Hui: