In a recent interview with Bloomberg TV, Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on the CCP, based in Michigan, stated that the Chinese government manipulates overseas students, including forcing them to engage in espionage activities. As one of the most outspoken officials in Washington criticizing the CCP, Moolenaar supports the Trump administration’s plan to cancel visas for some Chinese students and calls for a reset in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship to safeguard American national security.
“A foreign government controlling its overseas students, controlling their assets, and forcing them to serve the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is a very serious issue,” Moolenaar emphasized.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced plans to significantly cancel visas for Chinese students. Earlier, he had ordered embassies to cease arranging interviews for foreign student visas.
Earlier this month, Moolenaar participated in signing a letter to Harvard University requesting information about their ties with the CCP. He also supports Rubio’s efforts to attract Chinese students who are “well-intentioned” rather than “anti-America” and advocates for stricter screening of Chinese students.
He referenced an incident in his home state of Michigan, where five Chinese citizens were charged last year for concealing a nighttime visit to a military base. He believes that revoking visas for certain Chinese students is advantageous in combating the CCP’s aggressive behavior. He cited a series of actions taken by CCP leader Xi Jinping over the past decade, including crackdowns on Hong Kong’s freedom and threats against Taiwan.
He emphasized that engagements with the CCP must recognize the reality that the CCP is “evolving in a direction that diverges from its commitments,” necessitating a “reset” in U.S.-China relations.
Beijing has long viewed the U.S. as a geopolitical rival and seeks to surpass the U.S. technologically. On May 28, the Financial Times cited sources stating that the Trump administration has instructed the Electronic Design Automation (EDA) company to cease providing chip services to Chinese firms, marking another significant move by the U.S. government.
(Adapted from Bloomberg’s report)