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International students from China have recently been groundlessly suppressed by the US frequently. Since August alone, more than 20 Chinese students have been refused entry or repatriated by the US. Furthermore, some other Chinese students told Chinese embassy and consulates in the US as well as media outlets about their experiences of being groundlessly harassed by US law enforcement officers.

According to these Chinese students, US law enforcement officials have treated some Chinese students who came to the US with legal visas in a rude manner. Most of them were asked whether they or their parents are members of the Communist Party of China. Some were asked whether they had received tasks assigned by the Chinese government. This has far exceeded the scope of "normal law enforcement" that some Americans describe. Some people have even been repatriated for some bizarre reasons. For example, some Chinese students are suspected as having a military background as their mobile phones contain photos taken during military training in university. Some Chinese students have been treated inhumanely and experienced nightmares. For example, recently, when a student surnamed Li arrived in Houston, he was questioned by US law enforcement officers for more than 50 hours before being repatriated. During this time, he was confined in a small room and only allowed to talk with his parents by phone for 1 minute. And every 4 hours, Li could have some food such as biscuits. At night, Li had to sleep on the sofa. There are also a few Chinese students who have been repatriated by the US who were forced to stay in a third country for several days due to problems of flight connections.

What the US has done are discriminatory practices in the guise of law enforcement. These actions hold strong ideological bias, and seriously undermine the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students. Moreover, they obviously go against the US' public statements. On the one hand, the US side claims that it welcomes Chinese students. The US Department of State and the Department of Education have issued statements encouraging international students to study in the US. On the other hand, the US administration and law enforcement agencies follow the wrong policy of the Trump administration toward China. They have unreasonably suppressed and harassed Chinese students studying in the US.

These Chinese students being groundlessly suppressed share some common features: Almost all of them come to the US to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Most of them are master or doctoral students who used to study in Chinese institutions that are allegedly related to China's "military-civil fusion strategy." The enforcement is in general based on the so-called Proclamation 10043. This is a presidential proclamation signed by Donald Trump on May 29, 2020, targeting Chinese students and scholars studying in specific fields. It suspends or restricts their entry into the country, particularly those who are associated with China's top seven national defense institutions and any Chinese university that implements or supports the so-called "military-civil fusion strategy." This is a complete violation of the principle of fairness and impartiality. According to media reports, the US has denied visas to more than 500 Chinese students on this basis this summer. A Georgetown University study shows that more than 3,000 Chinese students and scholars have been affected by Proclamation 10043.

The abuse of the so-called national security by the US to suppress and harass Chinese students is not a reflection of its strength. It instead exposes its fear, anxiety and lack of confidence. The suspicion and fear of some US politicians, who have come down with an anti-China syndrome, have reached the point of a climax. In their eyes, Chinese students and visiting scholars are all "spies" trying to steal "intellectual property" and "sensitive information" from the US. This is a Cold War mentality and McCarthyism. Its real purpose is not to safeguard the so-called national security of the US. It instead seeks to curb China's high-tech talent training and industrial development and maintain the US scientific and technological hegemony.

The Chinese government resolutely safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of every Chinese citizen. According to sources familiar with the matter, the Chinese government has always made representations and promptly provided consular assistance to those involved in the cases of unwarranted inspections and even repatriation of Chinese students. The spokespersons of the Chinese Foreign Ministry have also strongly condemned the relevant actions of the US on many occasions, urging the US to stop using absurd excuses for unwarranted restrictions and suppression of Chinese students. During the visit of US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Tianjin in July, China has put forward two lists to the US. One is the List of US Wrongdoings that Must Stop, and the other is the List of Key Individual Cases that China Has Concerns with. Both lists urge the US to stop unwarranted restrictions and oppression on Chinese students and protect their legitimate rights and interests.

The relations between countries largely depend on the level of intimacy between people. Chinese students studying in the US help promote understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American people and play an important role in advancing China-US ties. Both China and the US are beneficiaries of education and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. The US move to suppress Chinese students harms the legitimate rights of Chinese citizen. It also insidiously dents the US' image and the interests of the American people. The US should correct its mistakes right away and stop groundlessly suppressing and harassing Chinese students studying in America. It must create the necessary conditions and a favorable atmosphere for the normal communication between the two countries.

The author is an observer on current affairs. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn