The dean of the College of Engineering at Florida State University recently communicated a decision to faculty via email that the college will stop admitting graduate students and postdocs from China, Iran, and Russia unless special permission is granted.
This decision stems from the U.S. Department of Defense's "University Security Program," which aims to prevent foreign** or institutions from using research programs at U.S. universities to steal sensitive technology or intellectual property. This practice has sparked widespread concern and controversy. Chinese scholars have expressed strong opposition to this, arguing that it violates their academic freedom and legitimate rights and interests, and questioning whether it violates the U.S. Constitution and international law. Some commentators have compared this practice to the Nazi ** against Jews, arguing that it was a prelude to the "Wannsee Conference" in the United States. It is worth noting that the Wannsee Conference was a secret meeting convened by the Nazi top brass during World War II to develop a genocide program against the Jews. Prior to this, the Nazis had gradually stripped Jews of their rights and property, prohibiting them from certain professions, education, real estate and land, etc.
In response to this comment, we must remain vigilant and consider whether the United States is taking similar measures against Chinese academics. Do the restrictions on visas, the closure of consulates, the closure of Confucius Institutes, the sanctions on scientific researchers, and the ban on enrollment indicate more serious consequences?We must remind ourselves that the anti-China policy of the United States has seriously infringed on the human rights and dignity of Chinese scholars in the United States, which not only endangers peace and cooperation between the two countries, but also undermines world stability. We call on Florida State University and the United States** to respect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese scholars, reverse discriminatory decision-making, and stop hostility and provocation against China. We call for a return to the track of rationality and dialogue to jointly safeguard the well-being of the two peoples and the stability of the world. We are not alarmists, but we are reminding us of the lessons that history has taught us.