Beijing demands protections for Chinese students in US - here's why

Beijing on Thursday demanded protections for Chinese students in the US after a Congressional panel asked six American universities to hand over a large amount of detailed information on their Chinese students, citing national security concerns. In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Chinese students account for about one-quarter of all international students in the US and that their activities have promoted “the economic prosperity and technological development of the U.S.” “This is in the interest of both parties,” Mao told reporters at a daily briefing. “We urge the U.S. to stop overstretching the concept of national security, effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students, and not impose discriminatory restrictive measures on Chinese students.” Her remarks came a day after John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, sent a letter to six colleges requesting information on Chinese students enrolled in advanced science and technology programs. “The Chinese Communist Party has established a well-documented, systematic pipeline to embed researchers in leading U.S. institutions, providing them direct exposure to sensitive technologies with dual-use military applications,” Moolenaar wrote in a letter to Farnam Jahanian, president of Carnegie Mellon University. If left unaddressed, this trend will continue to displace American talent, compromise research integrity, and fuel China’s technological ambitions at our expense.” The letter requested information including the Chinese students’ sources of funding, the types of research they’re involved in, what schools they previously attended, and “a country-by-country breakdown of applicants, admittances, and enrollments at your university.” Most Chinese students enrolled in US undergraduate programs pay full tuition, making them an important source of funding for many universities.