Tensions Mount in U.S.-China Academic Collaboration as Critical Challenges Intensify
Escalating Tensions: Trump Administration Threatens Visa Revocation for Chinese Students
In a move that could potentially widen the chasm between the US and China, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration will aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students suspected of having ties to the Chinese Community Party or studying in critical fields.
The decision has sparked concern among Chinese students, the Chinese government, and some US lawmakers. It has also raised alarm among US campuses that host more than 275,000 students from China and rely on their tuition payments. One graduate student, Kesong Cao, 26, has decided to abandon his studies in the US due to the administration's policies.
Cao, a cognitive psychology student at the University of Wisconsin, was waiting at Seattle's airport on Thursday to board a flight home to China. He spent eight years in the US and had once dreamed of becoming a professor. However, the new policy has made him reconsider his plans. "I do not feel welcome anymore," he said. "It's a good time to jump ship and think about what I can give back to my own country."
The scope of the visa crackdown is not immediately clear, with no explanation given on what will constitute ties to the Communist Party. However, the impact could be significant if the government goes after any student with family members in the party, according to Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center.
Academic leaders in the US have spent years trying to address growing hostility against Chinese students and scholars, arguing that the benefits of the relationship outweigh the risks. Collaboration between the countries produces tens of thousands of scientific papers a year, leading to major advancements in various fields.
The academic alliance has been built over decades since both sides resumed diplomatic ties in the 1970s. Chinese researchers are the most frequent international co-authors for US researchers in science and engineering journal articles.
Some critics claim that the exchanges are a security risk, citing a State Department report that found hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding had gone towards research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology, and nuclear weapons. The report argued that China's academic collaborations served as "Trojan horses for technology transfer," accusing China of insidious exploitation of academic cooperation.
In response, a State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, told reporters on Thursday that the US will not tolerate the Chinese Communist Party's "exploitation of U.S. universities or theft of U.S. research, intellectual property or technologies to grow its military power, conduct intelligence collection or repress voices of opposition."
However, the broader academic community has expressed concerns that such policies may weaken international collaboration, discourage innovation, and reduce cultural exchange, ultimately harming both countries’ academic interests. L. Rafael Reif, a former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has called such a move an "extremely bad idea," saying it will be known historically as the one that began the decline of the US by failing to understand the importance of science and technology.
Critics also point out that only a few hundred US students study abroad in China compared to about 370,000 from China who studied in the US in 2018. President Xi Jinping launched a campaign to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit China on exchange and study programs in 2023.
Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China, said the visa policy would "adversely and profoundly" affect US higher education, research institutions, scientific discovery, and startups. He added that the policy change would not just be about visa numbers but also about the impact on the competitive landscape for talent, innovation, and economic growth in America. Treating every Chinese student as a security threat distorts facts and fuels discrimination against Chinese Americans, he warned.
This policy is the latest in a series of measures aimed at curbing Chinese influence and insulating America's research from its strongest economic and military competitor. During his first term, Trump shortened the visas of some Chinese graduate students from five years to one and signed an order barring Chinese students from schools with direct links to the People's Liberation Army. The administration has also taken sweeping action against international students, revoking the legal status for thousands of foreign students in the US this spring before reversing itself and trying to block Harvard from enrolling students.
Yet, the broader academic community has expressed concerns that such policies may weaken international collaboration, discourage innovation, and reduce cultural exchange, ultimately harming both countries’ academic interests.
- The decision could potentially affect over 275,000 Chinese students across various US campuses.
- Kesong Cao, a cognitive psychology student, is one of those contemplating leaving the US due to the new policies.
- Cao spent eight years in the US and had once aspired to become a professor.
- The new policy has made Cao reconsider his plans, stating he no longer feels welcome.
- Sun Yun of the Stimson Center suggests that the impact could be significant if the government targets students with family ties to the Communist Party.
- Academic leaders in the US have long advocated for the benefits of the relationship between the two countries.
- Collaboration between US and Chinese researchers leads to significant advancements in various fields annually.
- Critics argue that the exchanges could pose a security risk, citing a State Department report on stolen research funding.
- The report accuses China of using academic cooperation as a means for technology transfer and internal espionage.
- The State Department maintains that it will not tolerate the Chinese Communist Party's manipulation of US academic institutions.
- Some fear that such policies could weaken international collaboration, discourage innovation, and reduce cultural exchange.
- L. Rafael Reif, a former MIT president, has called the move an "extremely bad idea," warning it could be remembered as the start of the decline of US academia.
- Critics also stress that only a few hundred US students study in China compared to the 370,000 Chinese students in the US in 2018.
- President Xi Jinping aims to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in 2023.
- Gary Locke warns that the policy would adversely affect US higher education, research institutions, and startups.
- Locke also points out that the policy change's impact extends beyond just visa numbers, affecting the competitive landscape in America.
- This policy is the latest in a series of measures aimed at limiting Chinese influence and safeguarding America’s research.
- Trump previously shortened the visas for Chinese graduate students and barred those from schools with PLA ties.
- The administration has also taken action against international students, revoking the legal status for thousands this spring before reversing the decision.
- Politicians and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have debated the merits and consequences of these policies.
- The weather forecast for Seattle remains sunny, as usual, despite the political tension.
- The administration’s decisions have raised questions about the future of technology startups that rely on foreign talent.
- Educators have raised concerns that these policies may erode the foundations of lifelong learning and skills training.
- Some have pointed out that personal growth opportunities, such as mindfulness workshops, may also be affected.
- The policy could impact productivity and career development for many students and professionals.
- Critics argue that the government should focus on policy-and-legislation changes to ensure fairness and security in the visa process.
- The ongoing tensions between the US and China could have far-reaching implications for education-and-self-development, personal-growth, and career-development.
- Learning about different cultures and ideas is essential for understanding global issues like war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice.
- The latest developments in the US visa policy for Chinese students also affect general-news topics, such as migration, economy, and online-education.
