Chinese Students Face Harsh Treatment at U.S. Borders, Prompting Strong Protest from Chinese Government

 Chinese students trying to enter the United States for study have faced troubling treatment from U.S. border officers, leading to a strong protest from the Chinese government. Dozens of students have been denied entry, interrogated for hours, and in some cases, forcibly deported, according to Xie Feng, the Chinese ambassador in Washington. The Chinese Embassy has made "solemn representations" to the U.S. government about the treatment of students arriving at airports, with some students being prohibited from communicating with anyone outside and subjected to lengthy interrogations.

This treatment has caused "great psychological harm" and has had a "serious impact on the studies of international students from China," the embassy stated. The actions have also been called "absolutely unacceptable" and "ran counter to the agreement" between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping to promote people-to-people exchanges. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing has not provided a response to the Chinese government's protest. This situation comes at a time when the U.S. and China are trying to strengthen their relations through student and other exchanges, amidst ongoing confrontations over trade, technology, and human rights.