[Depth] 15 Chinese public-sponsored students are suddenly expelled, how far will the US restrictions on studying in China go...

  [Global Times reporter Li Sikun, Global Times Special Correspondent Tian Qiu] The University of North Texas suddenly expelled 15 Chinese publicly-sponsored students recently. This is just another ironclad evidence that the United States has deliberately undermined the cultural exchanges between China and the United States.

For a long time, the United States has been favored by Chinese overseas students as a “magnet” attracting talents from all over the world.

At the same time, the group of Chinese students studying abroad has made important contributions to American economic development and technological innovation.

It can be said that the various restrictions imposed by the United States in the field of people-to-people and cultural exchanges harm others and harm itself.

However, some U.S. politicians are still intensifying their efforts, saying, “Trump is considering restricting Chinese students to study in the United States and will soon announce new measures.”

"Global Times" reporter combed through the various restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese students and exchange scholars in the past four years, and asked relevant people in China and the United States to talk about the actual impact of these measures on Chinese students.

These restrictions are called "so-called intimidating signals" by the heads of domestic study abroad agencies. They disappoint Chinese children and parents who have "dreams of studying in the United States" and make most American universities feel helpless.

Edit Zhang Dawang to restrict Chinese students

  "This decision is only for visiting scholars funded by a specific organization (China National Funding Committee)..." The University of North Texas made such a magnificent explanation of the sudden expulsion of Chinese students in late August.

As of 8 pm on September 7, on an online petition in the United States asking the school to withdraw its "decision to terminate the cooperative relationship with 15 Chinese publicly-sponsored international students," nearly 6,500 signatories have signed it.

According to the "Global Times" reporter learned on September 6, some of these publicly-sent overseas students have returned to China, and others will leave the United States in the near future.

  What happened at the University of North Texas is just the latest of the troubles Chinese students and visiting scholars have encountered in the United States in recent years.

"Global Times" reporters sorted out the bans imposed on all kinds of Chinese students since the Trump administration came to power-they are like a web that has been woven more and more closely, allowing Chinese students and scholars to study and exchange in the United States The space becomes narrower and narrower:

  On December 18, 2017, the first National Security Strategy Report released during Trump’s tenure stated that in the future, visas will be tightened to restrict foreigners, especially Chinese from coming to the United States to study STEM (science, technology, Engineering, mathematics) and other science and engineering majors.

This ban will be implemented concretely soon after half a year, especially in the key areas determined by the plan such as robotics, aviation, and high-tech manufacturing.

  On May 29, 2018, the U.S. government stated that it would restrict certain Chinese citizens from going to the U.S. visas from June 11 of the year, such as extending the visa review time and shortening the validity period of Chinese students’ visas to the U.S. from 5 years to 1 year, etc. .

In October, the British "Financial Times" quoted people familiar with the matter as breaking the news that the Trump administration had earlier considered directly banning Chinese citizens from obtaining student visas.

The relevant advice comes from Trump’s senior adviser Stephen Miller, who has repeatedly lobbied the president to implement this decree, saying that "Chinese students may conduct intelligence theft in the United States."

  On May 14, 2019, U.S. politicians including Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Senator Mark Rubio of Florida introduced a bill requiring the U.S. government to draw up a list of scientific and engineering institutions associated with the People’s Liberation Army. , And will prohibit individuals employed or sponsored by these Chinese military institutions from obtaining visas for study or research in the United States.

The bill also stated that if Chinese citizens applying for study or academic exchanges in the United States, if their research subject is on the US "Commercial Control List", the visa officer should seek "security advice" and send the applicant's materials back to Washington for the application People conduct additional reviews.

  On May 27 this year, it was still Tom Cotton, and together with Senator Martha Blackburn of Tennessee, announced the Safe Campus Act, which would prohibit Chinese citizens from obtaining graduate and postgraduate study visas in STEM fields.

On May 29, the US White House government website issued a presidential announcement: in June, Chinese students and scholars "related to the Chinese military" and holding F visa (student visa) and J visa (exchange visitor visa) will be prohibited from entering the United States. , But not including undergraduates.

According to the New York Times, the Chinese colleges and universities that are to be restricted that "have direct ties with the Chinese military," including seven universities including Northwestern Polytechnical University, will affect at least 3,000 Chinese students.

On July 14, Trump signed an executive order to suspend exchange projects with Fulbright in mainland China and Hong Kong.

On August 31, US Secretary of State Pompeo declared on a radio program that “Trump is considering restricting Chinese students to study in the United States and may announce new measures in the next few weeks or months.”

  Along with various restrictions, some Chinese students have been subjected to strict exit checks at US airports, and some have also detained personal belongings such as computers.

Regarding the resetting of restrictions and various threats to the United States, relevant Chinese authorities have issued warnings for studying abroad on many occasions, reminding students and scholars to strengthen risk assessment, increase awareness of prevention, and prepare accordingly before going to the United States.

Some domestic parents who want their children to study in the United States told the Global Times reporter that the United States has repeatedly promulgated policies that are not friendly to Chinese students, which has caused them a lot of worry. The enthusiasm for studying in the United States is not as high as before.

According to Sun Taiyi, an assistant professor at Christopher Newport University in the United States, the Trump administration’s relevant measures have had a great impact on Chinese students studying in the United States. He told reporters: “The direct victims of the measures themselves are only a small number of people. , We must not forget that there are many groups who were originally going to study in the United States. The plan may be stranded because of related measures, or the plan may have to be changed just because of increased risks."

 Negative sentiment affects "study in the US" decision

  With the increase of various restrictions in the United States, many Chinese students and scholars who have been in the United States for many years have felt the changes.

Dr. Chen, who is a postdoctoral fellow in a university in Texas,’s research field is mathematics. He told the Global Times reporter: “In the American academic circle, besides the Americans themselves, Europeans are most trusted, and come from some Middle Eastern countries and hostile American countries. People who are defined as'dangerous' are completely excluded. The Chinese were originally somewhere in between, people who are'sensitive' but can still participate in confidential projects, but now there have been new changes." Dr. Chen Zeng After three consecutive years of internship in the "National Laboratory" in the United States, he found that it is increasingly difficult for foreigners, especially Chinese students, to enter the laboratory.

  Some people in the United States with ulterior motives always label Chinese students or scholars as "stealing American scientific research results and confidential content". Most people in the United States interviewed by the Global Times reporters did not understand.

Some Chinese scholars working in American universities emphasized that most research projects in American universities are public. “Scientific research activities in schools are originally intended to promote academic development and serve the public, so we will share our own results, and I am very willing to increase my academic reputation and influence.” According to Sun Taiyi, some universities in the United States have decided not to accept any confidential research projects due to the entanglement of the federal government to ensure the academic freedom and academic freedom of students in school. Related rights.

He told reporters: "U.S. colleges and universities may restrict foreigners from enrolling due to the confidentiality level requirements of some programs, but more thresholds are in the visa link created by the U.S. State Department and its system. If you go to the United States to study only administrative investigations, you must For a few months, the school has actually been delayed, not to mention the possibility of visa refusal in the end."

  Sun Taiyi reminded: “For American colleges and universities, this will also form a vicious circle: that is, relevant majors impose restrictions on the admission of Chinese students, which prevents the school from receiving sufficient funding from Chinese students. Eventually, the scale of the project may be reduced. Affect future enrollment plans."

  A Chinese American who studied electronic engineering in the United States in the 1990s and is now engaged in research and teaching in the semiconductor field said that a graduate student from Peking University contacted him last year and wanted him to study here in 2021, but in view of the situation this year, he has chosen to study. Doctor of our school.

According to the scholar, his university stopped accepting publicly-sponsored Chinese students a few years ago, and the research projects funded by Huawei were also suspended last year.

He believes that some restrictions in the United States have a great impact on American research institutions. They originally valued Chinese students because Chinese students like to research hardware and do experiments. Compared with Indian students, they like to write programs.

The scholar said that after the United States has introduced restrictions on Chinese students, they are also waiting to see what corresponding countermeasures American universities will take.

  "According to my survey of undergraduate graduates from Tsinghua University, Peking University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, etc., as of 2019, the United States is still the most popular destination for studying abroad." New Channel Chief Study Abroad Expert Ran Wei told the Global Times reporter, although Chinese students There has not been a substantial change in the willingness to study in the United States, but if the US government always sends out signals of this kind, the negative emotional impact of Chinese students will definitely be reflected in their "study abroad decisions."

Speaking of the U.S. starting to impose visa restrictions on Chinese students involved in sensitive majors in 2018, he said that after the implementation of this policy, the percentage of Chinese students subject to "extra scrutiny" in the process of applying for visas did have a "small increase." However, most applicants finally got the visa after revising their resumes, providing more detailed information, and waiting for a longer period of time. At present, it is not common for them to be refused visas.

  Regarding the U.S. announcement at the end of May this year of restricting graduate students related to the "China's military-civilian integration strategy" from studying in the U.S., Ran Wei said that the ban did not target undergraduates. In the specific implementation process, it has not been seen that any undergraduates are actually because of this. The matter was substantially affected.

  According to Wang Lei, the founder of "Study Abroad", a consulting agency for studying abroad, domestic students generally apply for majors in American universities in business, media, software development, data science and other majors. Therefore, the Trump administration has issued restrictions so far. The measures have little effect on most Chinese students studying abroad.

However, when she recently provided Chinese students with consulting services on studying abroad, she still paid attention to reminding the other party to "add addition" to the original choice. After all, the overall uncertainty of studying in the United States has increased.

Wang Lei said, "We will recommend that students add several options to their study destinations to hedge potential risks in the United States."

  Is the United States still a global talent field?

  In response to the U.S. government’s frequent restrictions on Chinese students and scholars going to the U.S. in recent years, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said recently that in the 41 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, China-U. Mutual understanding and cognition and promoting the stable development of Sino-US relations are of great significance and have also played an important and positive role.

According to relevant data from the United States, nearly one-third of the 1 million foreign students enrolled in American schools are from China, and Chinese students contribute more than US$15 billion to the United States each year.

According to Wang Yaohui, founder and chairman of the Globalization Think Tank (CCG), if the parents of students go to the United States to visit, travel, and other expenses, the benefits of Chinese students to the United States are far more than 15 billion US dollars. This is just "tangible. The dividends that can be seen".

Wang Yaohui told the "Global Times" reporter: "There are also some intangible benefits, such as bilateral exchanges. International students play a great role as a bridge and link between the two sides, which can promote the cultural exchanges between the two sides. In addition, Chinese companies have come a few years ago. Investment in the United States is very common, and some of these are brought or contributed to by Chinese students. Some companies founded by Chinese students are still listed in the United States."

  "Chinese students are the largest group of foreign students in the United States. For decades, this has been a mutually beneficial exchange for both parties." Lu Xiang, an expert on American issues at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times reporter that in the process , American colleges and universities receive a large amount of tuition, which is also a considerable part of the US surplus in the field of service trade with China.

Speaking of the forces behind the strengthening of restrictions on Chinese students in the United States, Lu Xiang said: "For a far-right and anti-immigration person like Stephen Miller, there have been reports that he was a manufacturer The top driver of xenophobia. In the White House, such people are not alone."

  Such xenophobia and being tough on China have also brought many negative effects to the United States.

Wang Yaohui believes that the United States has imposed restrictions on Chinese students, and doing so itself has caused the United States to suffer huge losses.

In addition to reduced economic gains, the United States will also lose a large number of talents.

He explained that nowadays, whether companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter or Amazon, there are a large number of Chinese employees. These people were basically Chinese students before, and they played a vital role in American technological innovation.

Therefore, he believes that if the United States continues to impose various restrictions on Chinese students, its status as a global talent base and a large magnetic field will be greatly damaged in the future, and it will also leave a very negative impression on the world that the United States does not welcome foreign students. "Due to the lack of these talents and the greatly reduced role of Chinese students as a bridge, link and catalyst between the two countries, this will be very detrimental to the future development of American companies and even the development of the United States."

  "More and more Chinese parents are beginning to worry about their children studying in the United States, which will further promote the arrival of a diversified era of studying in China." Wang Yaohui believes that the trend of studying abroad in China will reflect the changes in China in the next 40 years and the future of Chinese students Will go to countries such as the "Belt and Road" to study abroad, these countries are the targets for China to strengthen cooperation.