Beijing Warns US Against Visa Ban For Scientists, Students With Links To Chinese Army

Beijing urges the United States to refrain from introducing visa restrictions for Chinese students and researchers suspected of having ties with the military since such a measure would threaten bilateral humanitarian cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2019) Beijing urges the United States to refrain from introducing visa restrictions for Chinese students and researchers suspected of having ties with the military since such a measure would threaten bilateral humanitarian cooperation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday.

Six Republican senators introduced on Tuesday legislation in Congress that would require the US government to "develop a list of scientific and engineering institutions affiliated with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)." The bill aims to prohibit individuals "employed or sponsored by these Chinese military institutions from receiving student or research visas to the United States."

"We hope that the US citizens concerned will start treating bilateral contacts objectively, stop applying restrictive measures against students and scientists who are heading to the United States and create conditions for cooperation between the countries rather than erect barriers," Geng said at a briefing.

According to the diplomat, certain US agencies have over the past few years been groundlessly calling into question the motives of trips of Chinese scientists and students and "by hook or by crook impose restrictions, creating various obstacles to normal humanitarian cooperation between the two countries."

"Humanitarian contacts are the basis for promoting Chinese-US cooperation in various areas, which meet the interests of both countries and should not be politicized or subject to restrictions," Geng said.

According to the US lawmakers' estimates, the PLA has sent over 2,500 military engineers and scientists to study abroad over the past decade. Meanwhile, Washington has continued to accuse China of stealing intellectual property for military purposes.

The new initiative comes after the United States announced last week that Beijing had broken its deal with Washington during bilateral trade talks by rolling out new tariffs.