Washington, DC [US], March 13 : Republican lawmakers of the House have been making efforts to push legislation, imposing a ban on Chinese nationals from getting student visas in the US, Fox News reported.
For weeks, US Representative Riley Moore has raised alarm over what he considers the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) exploitation of the US visa program meant for studying in the US. He is expected to introduce the Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act or the Stop CCP Visas Act on Friday.
The bill is still being circulated for co-sponsors, but lawmakers who are expected to support the bill include Representatives Andy Ogles, Scott Perry, and Brandon Gill.
Moore said, "Every year, we allow nearly 300,000 Chinese nationals to come to the U.S. on student visas. We've literally invited the CCP to spy on our military, steal our intellectual property, and threaten national security."
"Just last year, the FBI charged five Chinese nationals here on student visas after they were caught photographing joint US-Taiwan live-fire military exercises. This cannot continue," he added.
He urged Congress to act on "China's exploitation of our student visa program," Fox News reported. Calling for ban on all student visas going to Chinese nationals, he said, "It's time we turn off the spigot and immediately ban all student visas going to Chinese nationals."
Moore has made reference to an incident which involved five former students of the University of Michigan who graduated in May as part of a joint program with Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China who were accused of spying on the US military.
The students have been accused of covering surveillance efforts on a National Guard facility in Michigan during a training operation with the Taiwanese military, according to Fox News report. Sergeant major of the Utah National Guard confronted former students in August 2023, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court on October 1.
Asian American and progressive groups will likely challenge Moore's legislation. Previously, the group Asian Americans Advancing Justice slammed Tom Cotton for demanding a ban on Chinese nationals studying in the US.