Congress Ramps Up Pressure On Universities Over Chinese Student Access

As lawmakers dig deeper into China’s reach inside U.S. universities, tensions between Washington and Beijing are flaring again — this time over student visas and academic research.

House Republicans are demanding transparency from a handful of elite institutions over how Chinese nationals are admitted into programs tied to sensitive research. Led by Rep. John Moolenaar, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party issued letters to six universities, seeking records that detail foreign enrollment, research activities and funding streams.

The schools in question include Stanford University and the University of Illinois, both of which have previously worked with Chinese students on advanced scientific projects. Moolenaar said the inquiry is meant to protect national security and preserve U.S. leadership in critical technologies.

China responded with a public rebuke, accusing Congress of misusing national security to justify what it sees as targeting Chinese students. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning insisted that the presence of Chinese nationals benefits the U.S. and urged lawmakers to back off.

The clash comes amid broader concerns about China’s influence on American campuses. The Daily Caller News Foundation found that dozens of Chinese nationals working on U.S. research grants are listed in Chinese government-sponsored talent programs, including some previously linked to espionage.

Back in West Virginia, Rep. Riley Moore introduced legislation aimed at ending student visa approvals for Chinese citizens. Moore said he would not back down from protecting U.S. interests even as critics decried the bill as discriminatory.

Civil rights groups including the Asian American Scholar Forum and AAJC have warned that sweeping restrictions could undermine American academic leadership. But Republicans backing the measure argue that the Chinese government has exploited the openness of the U.S. system.

The Department of Justice has prosecuted several individuals in recent years for concealing ties to the Chinese military while working in American labs. In some cases, researchers failed to disclose that they were part of recruitment programs organized by China’s Communist leadership.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR