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 sahihi na wasomi wengi maarufu wa magharibi kama vile Tani Barlow, Arif Dirlik, Gayatri C. Spivuk na Frederic Jameson, inaonesha kuwa, "kutokana na vyombo vya habari vinavyopendwa sana nchini China" na inatetea uaminifu wa kitaaluma wa Wang Hui: