New bill introduced in US Congress to ban Chinese students, researchers from getting visas

Washington / Beijing – A member of the US Senate alleged that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was sending students and researchers on a large-scale to the United States as also other nations so that China could use the research against its adversaries. A legislature was thus introduced in the US Congress to ban the PLA-affiliated students and researchers, who were working on sensitive sectors in the US universities and institutions from receiving student or research visas to the US. The bill was presented in both houses, the US Senate as also the House of Representatives simultaneously which received approval from members belonging to both parties.

Only 24 hours ago, US President Donald Trump had declared a national emergency by signing an executive order banning China and Chinese companies to stem the threat they posed to the cyber and technology sector. After that, the US Department of Commerce released a blacklist which comprised of 70 Chinese companies, that included China’s Huawei. Therefore, a legislature being introduced in both the chambers of the US Congress draws much attention given the developments.

In the last year, the United States had adopted a tough stance against the Chinese telecom giant Huawei, although the use of its technology had already been prohibited in the US federal agencies. Along with Huawei, the US has also proposed to ban China Mobile, a Chinese state-owned telecom. Additionally, the Trump Administration is also trying to block China from buying US companies.

Last year, senior US Senator Marco Rubio had highlighted China’s interference in the US educational institutions. Subsequently, Senators Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, Chuck Grassley, Tom Cotton and eight others introduced another anti-China legislation. The legislation asserts that the Chinese military openly supports many of the Chinese educational institutions.

China then sponsors the students and researchers from the institutions to study in the US and other countries. The students and researchers misuse the open US system to acquire information on sensitive technology and is later used by the Chinese military. The bill candidly states that the Chinese PLA uses the data for military applications against its adversaries, which includes the US.

Analysts indicate the bill would add further strain in the already mounting tensions between the US and China.

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