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.
A letter sent to the universities, including Stanford and Carnegie Mellon, alleged that the Chinese government was embedding researchers in top American institutions to gain direct access to sensitive technologies.
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 US”.
“This is in the interest of both parties,” Mao told reporters at a daily briefing. “We urge the US 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 programmes.
He accused the institutions of putting American research at risk in exchange for financial incentives. — AP
