Ye Discusses the Unraveling of Chinese Academic Exchange in the U.S.
Professor Min Ye of the Pardee School was recently quoted in a Boston Globe report examining the ongoing clampdown on the Chinese international student community in the United States. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State asserted that the government will soon begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those associated with the Chinese Communist Party or who are involved in “critical” academic fields.
Such unprecedented action by the White House has disconcerted members of the educational and Chinese communities. Hailing from China herself, Ye started her journey in the U.S. as a student. Now for more than two decades, Boston has been her home.
According to the professor, Rubio’s new policy shunning Chinese students is “a strong signal that we want to go back to the ’70s” before “the whole global collaboration in science, technology, and education.”
While prevalent theories accuse international students of exploiting U.S. resources and technology, Ye argued that students flock here because American academia champions individuality and innovation.
“This environment [American universities] is like the air we breathe — often unnoticed, but incredibly precious to those who have never experienced it.” — Prof. Min Ye.
The report also underscores that foreign students account for 18% of postsecondary enrollment in Massachusetts — highest in the country. These announcements from the federal leadership targeting foreign nationals have stirred anxieties among colleges and universities relying on the academic aptitude and tuition of international students. It’s expected that coming fall, schools such as Harvard, Northeastern, and Boston University could witness fewer Chinese students. Besides universities, local communities including renters and retail businesses will possibly be hit by the new policy surrounding visa approvals.
To read the complete report, click here.
Professor Min Ye is a professor of international relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies. With a scholarly focus on China, India, and regional relations, she has authored several books including The Belt, Road and Beyond: State-Mobilized Globalization in China 1998 — 2018 (Cambridge University Press, 2020) and Diasporas and Foreign Direct Investment in China and India (Cambridge University Press, 2014). For her academic pursuits, Ye has received several prestigious grants and fellowships from organizations like Smith Richardson Foundation, National Committee on the U.S-China Relations, and Suffolk University. To know more about Ye’s work and achievements, visit her faculty profile.