Chinese computer science PhD student in US Kiwi Zhang’s academic dreams were dashed when he was barred at the border. After attending a conference in Asia last summer and returning to the United States, Zhang was detained, questioned for two days about his ties to the Chinese Communist Party, and had his devices confiscated. Eventually, he was deported and for five years banned from the US over accusations he had shared research with the Chinese government—claims he vehemently denies. Now back in China, Zhang is unsure what to do next.
1 month Ago By Oskar Malec
His situation mirrors a rising tide of anxiety for Chinese students so while the US administration, led by President Donald Trump, unveiled a policy to revoke visas of students with links to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in sensitive areas. The ambiguity of the notice has caused panic, fear, and confusion within the Chinese student community and families.
Fear and Frustration Spread
Now, many students, including Zhang, are afraid that they will be ensnared in a wave of visa cancellations. In chat groups there is nervous talk and education consultants are inundated with calls. Students are speaking out on social media, venting their frustration at being kept in limbo about whether they can still go to school or return to the US should they leave the country.
Joyce, a Chinese student who was admitted to a master’s architecture program at Harvard, had the same concern. Her visa is still valid, but she has decided not to return home to China, with the concern that she won’t be able to come back to the US.
China’s foreign ministry criticized the US decision as politically motivated and biased at a news conference. The action ratchets up pressure on an already tense relationship between the two countries.
Growing tensions and shattered trust
For decades, the US has attracted some of China’s greatest minds, benefiting from their research and innovation. Chinese students have long made up the largest population of international students in the US, propping up the educational sector and the wider economy.
But increasing tensions have prompted both countries to increase national security measures, especially in technology areas with potential military applications. With the growing distrust and doubt, the students now are caught in a geopolitical battle not of their making.
But the US administration’s increasing scrutiny means that to many students like Zhang and Joyce, their own futures have been sacrificed for decisions shaped by politics rather than academic credibility. The future they hoped for has become tenuous and uncertain.
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