It has been a time of tension and protest for the Chinese government, who recently voiced their concerns to the U.S. over the treatment of Chinese students returning to study. Allegations against the U.S. include hours-long interrogations, inspections of electronic devices, and forced deportations. This has sparked controversy and raised questions about the state of U.S.-China relations, particularly in the realm of education.
The Chinese Government’s Protest
The Chinese ambassador in Washington, Xie Feng, stated that numerous Chinese students with valid visas have been denied entry over the past few months. The reasons behind these denials seem to stem from their return from overseas travel or visits to relatives in China. This information was disclosed in a post on the Chinese Embassy’s website.
“These students land at the airport expecting to return to their studies, only to be subjected to eight-hour interrogations, prohibited from contacting their families, and in some cases, forcibly repatriated and banned from re-entry. This is absolutely unacceptable,” Ambassador Xie expressed at an event focused on student exchanges.
This protest comes at a critical time when the U.S. and China are trying to increase student exchanges and other forms of interaction to strengthen their strained relations. The issues straining these relations range from trade and technology disputes to disputes on human rights and the future direction of the world.
The Impact on Chinese Students
With nearly 290,000 Chinese students in the U.S., making up about a third of the foreign students in the country, this issue has a significant impact. China, having more than 1.3 million students studying abroad, sends more students abroad than any other country in the world.
The Chinese Embassy has issued a stern statement to the U.S. government regarding the treatment of students arriving at Dulles airport in Washington, D.C. They have urged students to be cautious when passing through the airport. It remains unclear whether these incidents are isolated to Dulles or are prevalent at other points of entry as well.
Reports from China’s state media reveal at least three instances since November where Chinese students lost their valid student visas and received a five-year entry ban. These students underwent extensive interrogations, with questions probing their affiliations with the Chinese government, the Chinese Communist Party, and their research’s connection to the Chinese military or key state laboratories. These students were en route to prestigious institutions such as the National Cancer Institute, Yale University, and the University of Maryland.
Response From the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the American Embassy in Beijing have yet to respond to these allegations. The Chinese Embassy statement emphasizes the detrimental impact this has had on the Chinese students, with their electronic devices checked, communication restricted, and in some cases, held for over 10 hours. The Embassy states that these actions have seriously disrupted the studies of these students and caused significant psychological harm.
Furthermore, they argue that these actions contradict the agreement between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping at their meeting last November. The two leaders had agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges, a commitment that appears to be in jeopardy.
As reported by BBC News, the U.S.-China relationship has been fraught with tension, and this latest incident serves as a further complication to their complex ties.
