China Calls for Protection of Chinese Students in US After Congressional Panel Demands Data Citing Security Concerns

New Delhi: Beijing has called for the protection of Chinese students in the United States on Thursday after a congressional panel citing national security concerns, has asked six universities to provide detailed information on their Chinese students.

A letter sent to universities, such as Stanford and Carnegie Mellon, allegedly accused the Chinese government of placing researchers within leading US institutions to obtain direct access to critical technologies.

Beijing Highlights Economic Benefits of Chinese Students in US

Responding to this, MOFA spokesperson Mao Ning said that Chinese students account to more than one-quarter of all international students in US, which has eventually led to "economic….and technological development is the US"

Mao's comments followed a letter from John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, to six universities, demanding information on Chinese students in advanced science and technology programs. He further accused the schools of jeopardizing American research for financial gain.

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Most Chinese students pay full tuition, serving as a key financial resource for numerous universities. After graduation, many return to China, often working with the institutions that supported their education.

At a daily briefing, Mao said, "We urge the US to stop expanding the definition of national security, safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese students, and avoid imposing discriminatory restrictions on them." he added, "This benefits both sides,"

List of those 6 Universities

The institutions named were Carnegie Mellon University, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of Illinois, the University of Maryland, and the University of Southern California.

Moolenaar wrote in a letter to Farnam Jahanian, president of Carnegie Mellon University, that "the Chinese Communist Party has created a well-documented, systematic pipeline to place researchers in top US institutions, giving them direct access to sensitive technologies with potential military applications."

He further said, "America’s student visa system has turned into a Trojan horse for Beijing, offering unrestricted access to our leading research centers and posing a direct national security threat. If not addressed, this trend will continue to undermine American talent, compromise research integrity, and support China’s technological goals at our expense."

The letter asked for details such as the sources of funding for Chinese students, the research they are engaged in, their previous schools, and a “country-by-country breakdown of applicants, admits, and enrollments at your university.”

(with AP inputs)