The University of Pennsylvania recently reminded Chinese mainland and Hong Kong students to postpone non-essential international travel during a period of uncertainty in US visa scrutiny policies until further clarification is provided.
According to an email from Penn on May 30th, the university acknowledged the uncertainty and anxiety faced by international students and pledged to provide ongoing support.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement on May 28th titled “Visa Rules to Prioritize US over China” announcing tighter visa issuance for Chinese students and revocation of visas for those connected with the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
“We will also revise visa standards and enhance scrutiny for all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong,” the statement read.
Earlier on May 11th, Pompeo instructed US embassies worldwide to halt scheduling new student visa interviews as the government considers stricter scrutiny of applicants’ social media profiles.
In response to these changes, Penn stated it will adapt flexibly to student entry issues and minimize academic impact as much as possible. The university also mentioned addressing students’ concerns and assisting them in adapting to policy changes.
Penn had previously notified new students about possible delays in visa interviews and expressed concern for the international scholar community potentially affected by policy changes.
In March this year, Republican members of the US House of Representatives introduced the “Preventing Chinese Espionage Act” aimed at safeguarding intellectual property rights in academia to prevent Chinese espionage.
The FBI had earlier warned on its website about China exploiting graduate and postdoctoral researchers in engineering, science, and mathematics as “non-traditional collectors of intellectual property.” A report from the US Intellectual Property Theft Commission indicated that Chinese theft activities annually cost the US up to $600 billion.
Former US national security official Matthew Turpin and former FBI Director Christopher Wray pointed out that Chinese academic theft in US universities constitutes one of the largest transfers of wealth in history.
On May 7th, the Stanford Review released an in-depth report exposing a long-standing Chinese espionage network at Stanford University, targeting students engaged in China-related studies to gather sensitive research information, raising concerns. The investigation also mentioned that some Chinese students, bound by the Chinese National Intelligence Law, are required to cooperate in intelligence work and report research progress regularly to the Chinese embassy in the US. Students revealed that refusal could result in financial and political pressure on their families in China.
On May 29th, Dr. Lin Xiaoxu, a member of the US Committee on Addressing the Current Crisis relating to China, told Epoch Times that China’s longstanding practice of using Chinese students and scholars to steal commercial, technological, and national secrets has severely impacted the US.
“It’s not just about intellectual property theft, it’s also about national security. The US is taking these actions as a way to stop the bleeding.”
Lin reminded Chinese students and scholars that the inclusion of students “connected with the Chinese Communist Party” in the new policy serves as a crucial warning. The threat of communist ideology and the destructive nature of the party itself pose significant harm to the US.
He advised Chinese students and scholars to “take this opportunity to distance themselves from communism, consider making ‘three withdrawals’ (withdraw from the CCP, Youth League, or Young Pioneers) declarations on websites, as this can provide more practical help for students completing their studies in the US.”