Beijing Lashes Out As Congress Probes Chinese Student Ties To Sensitive US Research

China is demanding answers after House Republicans stepped up scrutiny of Chinese nationals studying in American universities. Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, who leads the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, recently sent letters to six elite institutions requesting detailed data on Chinese students enrolled in science and technology programs.

The schools targeted include Stanford, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Southern California. Lawmakers asked for information about student research, previous schooling and financial backing, citing growing concerns that China is exploiting academic access to gain an edge in military-related technology.

Beijing quickly fired back. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning claimed Chinese students have helped drive innovation in the United States and accused Congress of overreach. She said Washington should stop using national security as an excuse and protect Chinese students from what she called discriminatory treatment.

Congressional Republicans aren’t backing down. Moolenaar’s letter stated that “America’s student visa system has become a Trojan horse for Beijing,” and warned that without action, China will continue to benefit at the expense of U.S. research and national security. He pointed to a pattern of Chinese scholars gaining access to advanced American laboratories and funneling sensitive findings back to China.

The FBI and Department of Justice have tracked numerous “talent recruitment” schemes tied to Beijing, including the Thousand Talents Plan, which has been linked to U.S. institutions like Harvard and national labs such as Oak Ridge. A recent review found dozens of researchers at American universities also appear in Chinese government rosters.

Meanwhile, Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia introduced the Stop CCP Visas Act, a bill that would block educational visas for Chinese nationals. He said the goal is to stop Beijing’s access to high-level research programs in the United States.

Some civil rights advocates accused Moore of fueling racial bias, but he stood firm. “I will never apologize for defending America’s vital national interests against our greatest geopolitical foe,” Moore said in a statement.

Previous articleCheney, Weissman And Clinton Join Growing List Of Security Clearance Revocations
Next articleSanctioned Chinese Supercomputers Quietly Used In US-Funded Defense Research

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR