Abuse of judicial power hurts people-to-people exchanges

Multiple recent incidents of Chinese nationals, including scholars and students, being arbitrarily detained or charged by US law enforcement and judicial authorities citing their alleged "threats" to the United States' "national security" are nothing but the latest examples of the US' abuse of law enforcement and judicial power.

Such incidents, which have happened time and again, show that the acts by the US have a strong ideological bias and far exceed the scope of normal law enforcement or judicial investigation. The US' moves seriously infringe on the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of the persons concerned, disturb normal Sino-US academic exchanges, and go against the common understandings reached by the two leaders on enhancing and facilitating China-US cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The moves therefore go against the joint efforts the two sides have been making to implement the two leaders' common understanding on the need to responsibly handle the differences between the two countries and promote the healthy development of relations.

At a news conference on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the US to stop the presumption of guilt and political manipulation, stop the political and discriminatory law enforcement against Chinese students and scholars in the US, and put into action the US leader's statement of welcoming Chinese students to study in the US.

China will take resolute measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals overseas, as Guo said. But at the same time, they should be on the alert for potential risks and take steps to prevent or mitigate them. These incidents serve to expose the politicized academic environment in the US, and tarnish the reputation of the country's academic freedom. That also harms the US' national interests.

The increasingly politicized academic environment in the US, due to different reasons, has already prompted an exodus of international students and scholars from the US.

Against this backdrop, it is easy to understand that Chinese-born researchers and tech industry professionals are in a vulnerable position, as profiling, interrogation, and aggressive or passive repulsion are haunting every aspect of their career and private life.

Chinese students and scholars play an important role in the US, contributing to the country's education revenue, innovation and prosperity. Together with their US counterparts in China, they also serve as a strong bond connecting the two countries, helping to build a bridge of friendship between the two peoples.

The US keeps overstretching the concept of "national security" and takes selective, discriminatory and politically motivated law enforcement and judicial actions against Chinese nationals. That is driven by the Cold War mentality held by certain people in the US, who falsely define relations between China and the US as a zero-sum game. They are poisoning the environment of public support for China-US ties, and obstructing friendly interactions between the two peoples.

Amity between people holds the key to sound relations between countries. Strengthening people-to-people exchanges between China and the US enjoys public support and conforms to popular will. The US side should earnestly implement the important common understanding reached by the two heads of state, and stop its witch hunt against Chinese nationals.