TAIPEI, March 21, 2025 — Tensions between the United States and China escalated this week as Beijing urged Washington to safeguard the rights of Chinese students amid growing national security concerns. The call came after a U.S. congressional panel demanded detailed records on Chinese students from six top American universities, while Republican lawmakers introduced a bill to ban Chinese nationals from studying in the U.S. entirely.
On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning condemned the U.S. actions, arguing that the 277,000 Chinese students in American universities—about a quarter of all international students—contribute significantly to U.S. economic and technological progress. “We urge the U.S. to stop overstretching national security and protect the legitimate rights of Chinese students,” Mao said during a briefing.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, led by Chairman John Moolenaar, sent letters to Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, the University of Illinois, the University of Maryland, and USC, alleging that the Chinese government uses students as a “Trojan horse” to access sensitive technologies with military applications. The letters requested data on funding, research, and prior education of Chinese students in advanced science and tech programs, warning that their presence risks displacing American talent and fueling China’s ambitions.
Meanwhile, Representative Riley Moore (R-WV) introduced legislation on March 14 to block Chinese nationals from obtaining student visas, claiming the current system invites espionage by the Chinese Communist Party. Co-sponsored by five Republicans, the bill reflects a broader GOP push to curb China’s influence, though it faces slim odds of passing.
The moves have sparked backlash. Fanta Aw of NAFSA called the targeting of students based on nationality “misguided,” while Yale scholar Yangyang Cheng warned of damage to academic freedom. Liu Pengyu of the Chinese Embassy decried the measures as threats to educational exchange, a cornerstone of U.S.-China relations.
A recent Ij-Reportika survey sheds light on Chinese students’ experiences in the U.S., revealing stark challenges and perspectives. While 78% of Chinese students reported feeling more personal freedom in the U.S.—citing free expression and autonomy—32% found cultural adaptation “very challenging,” with racism and discrimination intensifying isolation. In contrast, 22% felt freer in China due to cultural familiarity and support networks, despite censorship.
For Indian and South Korean students, adaptation varied: 30% of Indians and 27% of South Koreans found it “somewhat challenging,” missing family and communal norms, while 65% of Indians and 63% of South Koreans preferred their home countries’ sense of belonging over U.S. freedoms.
As Chinese student numbers drop—India overtook China as the top source of international students last year—U.S. universities face a dilemma. Chinese undergraduates, often paying full tuition, are a financial lifeline, yet doctoral recipients in science and engineering frequently stay, contributing to U.S. innovation. The Asian American Scholars Forum warned that hostile policies could cripple this talent pipeline.
On Chinese social media, reactions ranged from fears over derailed academic plans to dismissals of the bill as political theater, with some labeling it a modern “Chinese Exclusion Act.” In the U.S., the debate continues: is this about security, or a new wave of discrimination?
