Chinese students face increased scrutiny at US airports Featured

As US-China relations reach a boiling point, Washington has started to screen Chinese students at airports for technology theft.

When Boston Logan International Airport's announcement asked Keith Zhang to come to the boarding desk, he thought it was a regular boarding check.

But when he saw two armed American officers expecting him there, his heart sank.

"They questioned me under the premise that I am here to steal technology," Keith Zhang - not his real name - tells the BBC.

Zhang, a 26-year-old PhD student from China, was a visiting researcher at Brown University's department of psychological sciences for a year.

He had not expected to spend his last two hours on US soil being interrogated about his potential ties with the Chinese Communist Party.

So what might have happened?

FBI director Christopher Wray recently said, in response to Beijing's "far-reaching campaign" of economic espionage, the FBI is now opening a new China-related counterintelligence case every 10 hours.

In July, Washington closed the Chinese consulate in Houston, calling it a "spy centre".

As the US tightens its scrutiny of Chinese nationals over espionage concerns, screening selected departing Chinese students and researchers appears to be Washington's new measure to counter economic espionage. Some of the students' electronic devices were taken away for further examination and not returned for weeks.

Zhang describes the screening as "pure harassment".

"If I were to steal any data or intellectual property, I could send it through cloud storage. Taking away my laptop and phone for examination does nothing more than harassment," Zhang says.

China's foreign ministry accuses Washington of "abusing" the judicial power to interrogate and arrest Chinese students in the US "under fabricated allegations".

However, a series of indictments against Chinese researchers suggest the suspicions of US authorities have some grounds.

In August, Haizhou Hu, a 34-year-old Chinese visiting scholar at the University of Virginia, was arrested when he attempted to board a flight to China at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

The Department of Justice said "a routine screening" revealed that his laptop contained research-related software code, which he was not authorised to possess. The code has military applications, according to a federal indictment.

Separately, the US recently captured multiple Chinese researchers who are accused of concealing their ties with the Chinese military in visa applications. A scientist had allegedly fled to China's consulate in San Francisco, before she was arrested. Another Chinese researcher threw away a damaged hard drive and was later charged with destroying evidence to obstruct an FBI investigation.

US Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell tells the BBC that, for students who come to the US with the intent of learning, America's doors are "wide open".

"But if you are here masquerading as (students)," he says, "we have to defend ourselves."

Sheena Greitens, associate professor of public affairs at University of Texas, Austin, says there's an "intensification of concerns" over technology transfer from the US to China through academic channels.

"Given that these are investigations into espionage, it's unlikely that we'll see full details for every case, but it's hard to make informed judgements on the nature of the threat to national security based on the handful of cases we've seen made public so far," Prof Greitens says.

Unlike Hu, Zhang was allowed to board his flight at the last minute, but he says the airport screening was "a traumatic experience".

He recalls the two armed officers repeatedly accused him of lying. "I was under great pressure and almost had a mental breakdown," he says.

Zhang did not ask for the officers' names or identities, nor did he request to speak to a lawyer, Brown University or the Chinese Embassy in the US.

"I knew I had these rights but I didn't want to risk missing my flight," Zhang says.

Boarding his flight was Zhang's absolute priority, as he was eager to go home to reunite with his wife. They got married a year ago but have spent most of the time apart due to his study in the US.

During the pandemic, it is difficult to travel from the US to China, as international flights are curtailed sharply by both countries. Zhang spent weeks and nearly $5,000 to secure flight tickets to his hometown Shanghai via Amsterdam.

In general, US law enforcement agents have to get a warrant to search electronic devices, but airports are an exception. US border agents only need "reasonable suspicion" to search travellers' electronic devices at airports.

According to the South China Morning Post US border agents carried out over 1,100 searches of Chinese nationals' electronic devices in 2019, recording a 66% increase from the previous year.

Prof Greitens says airports are also "a choke point for the physical outflow of information", where legal, physical and personnel infrastructure for the screening are concentrated and where most passengers transit to depart the US.

John Demers, US Assistant Attorney General, recently said that the airport screening is "more targeted than it may first appear".

He revealed the screening decision is based on the students' schools in China and fields of study. Visiting scholars of an advanced scientific field and from institutions related to the Chinese military, are more likely to be targeted.

"What we are trying to do is to write with a fine-pointed pencil, as opposed to a big magic marker," Mr Demers said at a public think-tank event in Washington DC.

Both Hu and Zhang received scholarships provided by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for their research in the US.

CSC is an organisation under China's Ministry of Education, providing financial support for educational exchanges between China and other countries.

According to a recent research conducted by Georgetown University, CSC sponsors around 65,000 Chinese overseas students, accounting for 7% of Chinese nationals studying aboard. It also funds roughly the same number of foreign students in China.

During his exchange study in America, Zhang received a monthly stipend of $1,900 (£1430) from CSC. He was also required to submit a research report every six months, which his collaborator at Brown University would read and sign.

China's higher education and research systems are mostly state-owned. Though not all researchers are Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members, the party could cast a shadow of influence on research.

CCP has installed representatives and informants in education institutions, and some universities even revised their charters to emphasize unswerving loyalty to the party.

At the airport, Zhang told the American law enforcement officers that the CCP has no direct influence on his research in cognitive psychology, which is "highly theoretical". But the officers didn't seem convinced due to the government funding.

"It's normal for all governments to fund scientific research. America also funds public universities and labs," Zhang says, "There's no way for me to convince them, if in their views, government funding equals to the Communist Party's direct influence on every single research project."

CSC is now under intense scrutiny in the US, as it is considered as an avenue by which Beijing could exert influence over overseas students.

On 31 August, the University of North Texas terminated its exchange program with 15 Chinese visiting researchers receiving CSC funding, effectively revoking their US visas. This appears to be the first case of an American university severing ties with CSC.

Prof Greitens expects some increased scrutiny of Chinese nationals studying science and technology in the US, especially those who received Chinese government funding, to continue regardless of the outcome of the US election.

"Both (Trump and Biden) administrations are likely to take the potential threat of illegal technology transfer between the US and China very seriously," she says.

Though Zhang was impressed by the academic rigour in America and enjoyed working with colleagues at Brown University, he says he won't consider ever visiting the country again due to the screening experience.

"It was very scary. I felt my safety could be harmed at any time," he says.

Worrying for a gloomy prospect of US-China relations, Zhang has started to lobby his Chinese friends in America to consider returning home.

"The New Cold War has started," he says. "There's no turning back, no matter who is going to be America's next president."

hacklink al hack forum organik hit erotik film izlemarsbahisاباحيسكسporno izlepornohd porno sexEkrem Abi Siteleropenbook market idMostbet+18 film izlecasinolevantgecelikpijama takımıbetbababetivosultanbet girişbtcbahiscasinomegabetbaba girişdeneme bonusu veren sitelercasino siteleriultrabetcasibom 716yabancı dizi izleçocuk oyuncufull film izleonline casino30 tl bonus veren sitelerlilibet norgelilibet norgeindia online bettingbest online casino indiaMikiカジノ 評判Mikiカジノオンカジ 入金不要ボーナスgarage door repair minneapolis mnkedihttps://thebritishinvapetion.com/collections/vozol-vista-20000casino levantcasinolevantcasinolevantGrandpashabetcrypto casinobitcoin casinosbest online casino canadasports betting ontariocanadian online casinocrypto casinosbetnanoextrabetwbahisgrandpashabet2210betting sitesonline bettingonline casinonew online casinoFixbetOtobetcasibom güncel girişGaziantep EscortA2A1virabet girişA3casibomcasibom güncel girişBetturkeyonwinmatadorbetcasibom girişcasibombetcioRusya Turist Vizesitipobetstarzbetbycasinofixbetmariobetdamabet girişcasibomsahabetonwinfixbetbetturkeyotobetbetkombetkanyon giriş tarafbetbetpublicbetmatikblox fruits scriptmaltepe escortvaycasinopalacebetbigbrogbetebettipobetonwinsahabetbetkomBetwon fixbet1xbetbetturkeymariobettarafbetcasibom girişİMAJBETCASİBOMfixbetfixbetzbahiscasibomcasinopercasibom girişimajbet güncel girişcasinolevantbahis siteleriPornojojobetjojobet girişonwin3d modelsbağcılar tıkanıklık açmacasibom girişdeneme bonusu veren sitelermeritroyalbetbahsegeltempobetrestbetbahigobetgrambettiltgolegolfunbahishilbetParmabet giriş betticketAsyabahis nakitbahisBetwinner giriş betgaranti girişrbetmilanobet giriş lordbahisaresbet1xbet1xbet giriş1xbet güncel girişMosbet marsbahis giriş gobahisholiganbetpokerklaswinxbetcasibomyouwin hepsibahisrexbetjetbahismobilbahissuperbet betexperbahiscasinopusulabet giriş verabetbahsine betonbet giriş bet10bet maksatbahisoleybet oleybet cepbahis cepbahis ikimisli giriş ikimisli giriş betpark girişbetparkbetebet girişbetebetvegabet girişvegabetbetwoon giriş betwoon giriş paribahis paribahis piabet girişpiabetCeltabet Celtabet Romabet Romabet ligobet ligobet vbet giriş vbet giriş orisbet giriş orisbet giriş betlike giriş betlike giriş İstanbulbahis giriş İstanbulbahis giriş ultrabet giriş ultrabet giriş parobet parobet showbet girişshowbetmariobet giriş mariobet giriş casinomaxi giriş casinomaxi giriş casinometropol casinometropol casibom casibom parisbahis parisbahis trendbet giriş trendbet giriş betcio giriş betcio giriş sonbahis giriş sonbahis giriş betzula giriş betzula giriş betkanyon giriş betkanyon giriş prizmabet girişprizmabetsekabet sekabet ntvsporbet ntvsporbet betvole betvole betcup betcup setrabet girişsetrabetbetkolik girişbetkolikturkbet girişturkbetprivebet girişprivebetsetrabet setrabet şutbet giriş şutbet giriş paşacasino paşacasino betsat betsat jojobet jojobet dumanbet dumanbet pinbahis pinbahis norabahis girişnorabahismrbahis mrbahis capitolbet girişcapitolbetartemisbet artemisbet elexbet girişelexbetatlasbet giriş atlasbet giriş melbet girişmelbetgalabet galabet matbet matbet bircasino bircasino bahisai bahisai hepyekcasino girişhepyekcasinohizlibahis hizlibahis radissonbet radissonbet spinco spinco superbet superbet superbet rokubet rokubet neemex girişneemexlordcasino girişlordcasinovippark girişvipparkladesbet girişladesbetbetroad girişbetroadfavorisen girişfavorisenbetelli girişbetellislotica girişsloticahitbet girişhitbetenbahis girişenbahisfarkbet girişfarkbetdrbahis girişdrbahisbetplay girişbetplaytambet giriştambetnesinecasino nesinecasino gameofbet girişgameofbetalobet alobet hilarionbet girişhilarionbetaspercasino giriş aspercasino giriş bizimbahis girişbizimbahismasterbetting girişmasterbettingpirobet girişpirobettwinplay giriştwinplaybekabet girişbekabetbetpipo girişbetpipocasilot girişcasilothipercasino girişhipercasinocasinoslot girişcasinoslotbeinnow girişbeinnowsantosbetting girişsantosbettingmercurecasino girişmercurecasinofavorislot girişfavorislotrcasino girişrcasinocasinowin girişcasinowinistekbet girişistekbetbetyap girişbetyaphipercasino girişhipercasinodiyarbet girişdiyarbetcasipol girişcasipolinterbahis girişinterbahishanedanbet girişhanedanbetlotobet girişlotobetakulabet girişakulabetanadoluslot girişanadoluslotbetnis girişbetnisnissbar girişnissbarrüyabet girişrüyabetcrossbet girişcrossbetEsbahis giriş Esbahis giriş vaycasino girişvaycasinobahiscent girişbahiscentpalacabet girişpalacabetkazandra girişkazandrabetzula betzula maximcasino girişmaximcasinocasinoplus girişcasinopluspradabet giripradabetfestwin girişfestwinvdcasino girişvdcasinobahislion girişbahisliondiscountcasino girişdiscountcasinobetmuze girişbetmuzeilelebet girişilelebetmaslakcasino girişmaslakcasinobetzmark girişbetzmarkbetmoon girişbetmoonpumabet girişpumabetcratossporting girişcratossportingbetitalya girişbetitalyavitrinbet girişvitrinbetbahislife girişbahislifezagabet girişzagabetgencobahis girişgencobahisfashionbet girişfashionbetbetbey girişbetbeyloyalbahis girişloyalbahisbetmoney girişbetmoneyatlantisbet girişatlantisbetyorkbet girişyorkbetlimrabet girişlimrabethiltonbet girişhiltonbetastrabet girişastrabetbetclup girişbetclupdengebet girişdengebetbetsoff girişbetsoffmrbahis girişmrbahisbetsoo girişbetsoobetlist girişbetlistbetgraybetgray girişnisanbet girişnisanbetnisanbet girişnisanbetjojobet güncel girişmatadorbetbetwoonARORA YEDEK PARÇAlk21extrabet girişcasino levantextrabet girişultrabetpiabetaresbetmavibetbetsmovegoldenbahisbetnanobetmarinobetparkbetmarinosuperbetinvevobahisparibahismilanobetmilanobetgalabetbetkombetproton girişbetprotonplusslot girişplusslotturbobet girişturbobetbahisstar girişbahisstardopingbet girişdopingbetmaxroyalbet girişmaxroyalbetmaxwin girişmaxwinsortibet girişsortibetganobet girişganobetrulobet girişrulobetbetsunrise girişbetsunrisebetovis girişbetovisenobahis girişenobahisafroditbet girişafroditbetbetpuan girişbetpuanbetpara girişbetparameritlefkosabet girişmeritlefkosabetkombobet girişkombobetbetcool girişbetcoolforzabet girişforzabetlizbonbet girişlizbonbetbetsquirrel girişbetsquirrelsantabet girişsantabettotobi giriştotobilalbet girişlalbeterisbet girişerisbetpiyasabet girişpiyasabetenzabet girişenzabetrexusbet girişrexusbetstandartbet girişstandartbetlondrabet girişlondrabetbetmarlo girişbetmarlozingabet girişzingabetboxbahis girişboxbahiskalitebet girişkalitebetkalsbahis girişkalsbahisyakabet girişyakabetgenzobet girişgenzobetbetvakit girişbetvakit1win giriş1wintruvabet giriştruvabetbet11 girişbet11privebet girişprivebet7slots giriş7slotsbahisbey girişbahisbeybetgros girişbetgrosbaşarıbet girişbaşarıbetcasinoburada girişcasinoburadabahisnow girişbahisnowciacasino girişciacasinobetriyal girişbetriyalbetoffice girişbetofficegamabet girişgamabetpiabellacasino girişpiabellacasinofenomenbet girişfenomenbetvideobet girişvideobetneyine girişneyinedinamobet girişdinamobettambet giriştambetpalmibet girişpalmibethuhubet girişhuhubetbetwonbetwon girişilbet girişilbetroketbet girişroketbetradabet girişradabetbethand girişbethandsmartbahis girişsmartbahisgamabet girişgamabet96tr giriş96trbetwild girişbetwildkordonbet girişkordonbetcasinomhub girişcasinomhubbetsalvador girişbetsalvadormercurecasino girişmercurecasinobursa escortgooglecasibom güncel girişcasibom güncel girişcasibommeritkingtaş kaplamachild pornchild pornchild pornchild pornlayarkaca21child pornchild pornchild pornchild porntaraftarium24justin tvmeritking 1613dumanbetdumanbet girişdumanbetPusulabetPusulabet girişcasibomvaycasinoDeneme bonusu veren sitelervaycasinograndpashabet girişlevantbet girişlevantbetgetirbet girişgetirbetberlinbet girişberlinbetbetra girişbetracasinoper girişcasinoperpolobet girişpolobettakvimbet giriştakvimbetpashaming giriş pashaming giriş cashwin girişcashwinwestbahis girişwestbahisbetsin girişbetsinlimanbet girişlimanbetİbizabet girişİbizabetcasinofast girişcasinofastslotbon girişslotbonmilyarcom girişmilyarcombahisfair girişbahisfairtimebet giriştimebetrekabet girişrekabetvipslot girişvipslotfattbet girişfattbetbetkare girişbetkarebahisbudur girişbahisbudurteslabahis girişteslabahisbetixir girişbetixiramrabahis girişamrabahisarmabahisolabahis girişolabahisbabilonbet girişbabilonbetcenabet girişcenabetgandom girişgandomgettobet girişgettobetcasiwow girişcasiwowbetsrolex girişbetsrolexbenimbahis girişbenimbahisvirabet girişvirabetcaddebet girişcaddebetcasinobonanza girişcasinobonanzacasiblu girişcasiblubetnano girişbetnanobetrupi girişbetrupibetgar girişbetgarprimebahis girişprimebahiskralbet girişkralbetenbet girişenbetslotbar girişslotbarmrgamb girişmrgambSheratonbet girişSheratonbetmaribet girişmaribetbetvino girişbetvinoolaycasino girişolaycasinotrbet giriştrbetbetloto girişbetlotomaxwin girişmaxwindamabet girişdamabetlevant girişlevantgetirbet girişgetirbetberlinbet girişberlinbetmeritroyalbet girişmeritroyalbetcasinopper girişcasinopperpolobet girişpolobettakvimbet giriştakvimbetcashwin girişcashwinwestbahis girişwestbahisbetsin girişbetsinlimanbet girişlimanbetcasinofast girişcasinofastslotbon girişslotbonmilyarcom girişmilyarcombahisfair girişbahisfairtimebet giriştimebetonwingir girişonwingirvipslot girişvipslotfatbet girişfatbetbetkare girişbetkarebahisbudur girişbahisbudurteslabahis girişteslabahisbetixir girişbetixirarmabahis girişarmabahisolabahis girişolabahisbabilonbet girişbabilonbetcenabet girişcenabetgamdom girişgamdomgettobet girişgettobetcasiwow girişcasiwowbetsrolex girişbetsrolexbenimbahis girişbenimbahisvirabet girişvirabetcaddebet girişcaddebetcasinobonanza girişcasinobonanzabetrupi girişbetrupibetgar girişbetgaribazabet girişibazabetmariobet girişmariobetprimebahis girişprimebahiskralbet girişkralbetenbet girişenbetslotbar girişslotbarmrgamb girişmrgambsheratonbet girişsheratonbetmaribet girişmaribetbetvino girişbetvinoolaycasino girişolaycasinobetsin girişbetsintrbet giriştrbetbetloto girişbetlotomaxwin girişmaxwindamabet girişdamabetolabahis girişolabahisbabilonbet girişbabilonbetcenabet girişcenabetbetwinnerbetwinner girişbetwinner güncel girişbetwinner twitterbizbetbizbet girişbizbet güncel girişbizbet twitterbetkombetkom girişbetkom güncel girişbetkom twitterbetturkeybetturkey girişbetturkey güncel girişbetturkey twitterbetpublicbetpublic girişbetpublic güncel girişbetpublic twitterfixbetfixbet girişfixbet güncel girişfixbet twitteronwinonwin girişonwin güncel girişonwin twittertipobettipobet giriştipobet güncel giriştipobet twitterotobetotobet girişotobet güncel girişotobet twitterromabetromabet girişromabet güncel girişromabet twitterroketbetroketbet girişroketbet güncel girişroketbet twittersahabetsahabet girişsahabet güncel girişsahabet twitterzbahiszbahis girişzbahis güncel girişzbahis twitterxslotxslot girişxslot güncel girişxslot twitterbetmatikbetmatik girişbetmatik güncel girişbetmatik twittermariobetmariobet girişmariobet güncel girişmariobet twitterloyalbahisbetmoneyatlantisbahisyorkbetlimrabethiltonbetastrabettingbetclupdengebetbetsofmrcasinobetsoobetlistbetgraynisanbetbetpratonplusslotturbobetbahisstardopingbetmaxroyalbetmaxwinbetparafbetsortibetganobetrulobetbetsunrisebetovisenobahisafroditbet giriş betpuanbetparamerirlefkosabetkombobetbetcoolforza1x2lizbonbetbetsquirrelsantabettotobilalbeterisbetpiyasabetenzabetrexusbetstandartbetbetmarlozingabetboxbahiskalitebetklasbahisyakabet Genzobet betvakit giriş 1wintruvabetbet11privebet7slotsbahisbeybetgrosbaşarıbetcasinoburadabahisnowciacasinobetriyalbetofficegamabetpiabellacasinobahis1000vidobetneyinedinamobettambetCanlı bahis siteleriDeneme Bonusu Veren Siteler 2024instagram takipçi satın alfree fire panelxslotcasibomtaraftarium24canlı maç izledeneme bonusu veren sitelerimajbetcasibomcasibom girişcasibomextrabetiptv satın alMarvel Rivals Cheatbetcio girişgrandpashabet - grandpashabet girişaerodrome financehitbetligobetsohbet hattıquotexcasibom giriştaraftarium24selçuksportsbettilt girişsultanbetlunabetsultanbetcasibomnakitbahis güncel girişportobet girişsweet bonanzaholiganbetbetgitOnwinMeritkingMeritkingtubidytubidy mp3 downloadholiganbetGrace Charishitbettaraftarium24runtobetbağcılar escortjustin tvmatbetdeneme bonusu veren sitelertaraftarium24grandpashabet2212 comcasibom 747 com449 marsbahis commeritking 1612448 marsbahisyabancı dizi izlemisliwincasibom747449 marsbahismeritking1612448marsbahis comgrandpashabet 2212ligobetbetkanyon girişRoku Bet güncel girişgrandpashabetBetturkeymatadorbetultrabetkralbettipobetfixbetbahiscomkulisbetdumanbetmadridbetnakitbahisotobetvaycasinopusulabetgrandpashabetbetkanyonbetturkeyBetkanyonjojobet girişimajbetultrabetultrabetultrabetultrabetultrabetultrabetultrabetultrabettrendbetextrabet girişdinamobetradissonbetradissonbetradissonbetbetebetkingbettingkingbettingkingbettingkingbetting giriş linkibaycasinocasinolevant.vipextrabetcasibomkingroyalmobilbahismobilbahisgrandpashabetmatadorbetsahabetsekabetonwinmatbetcasibomimajbetİmajbetbetcioAğaç Feneriİstanbul Vip transfermarsbahisimajbetmatbetholiganbetsekabetjojobetonwinbetexperbetcioBETCİObetcio girişBETCİO GİRİŞextrabetistanbul escortultrabetfixbetsekabet girişsekabetimajbetbetboobetsatbetinbetcupsavoybettingpusulabetprensbetpusulabetodeonbetbahigopusulabetmeritkingistanbul escorttempobetklasbahisperabetsafirbetmeritking girişbetmoonzbahiszbahiszbahis girişzbahis twitterpusulabetdeneme bonusu veren sitelerOnwinsahabetngsbahiselexbetvbetmariobetasyabahisslot sitelerizbahismeritkingmeritkingmeritking girişbahiscombahiscomultrabetultrabetdinamobetultrabetultrabetultrabetsahabetdelta executorotobettarafbetığdır boşanma avukatıjojobetvirabetzbahisPusulabetPusulabetgiftcardmall/mygiftcasibom güncel casibom casibom giriş Cs2 Ücretsiz Hile matadorbetmatadorbet twittermatadorbet girişmatadorbet xmatadorbet güncel giriş adresiCasibom 747matadorbetimajbetmatbetsekabetsahabetonwinmarsbahisholiganbetmatadorbetgrandpashabetartemisbetrestbetpinbahismostbetmeritbetkingroyalbetciocasibomjojobetfixbetdeneme bonusu veren sitelerultrabetfixbetfixbet xfixbet twitterfixbet güncel giriş adresifixbet girişzbahiszbahis girişzbahis twitterzbahispusulabetkavbetcasibomcasibom güncel girişcasibom girişCASİBOMcasibomcasibom girişkavbettümbettümbetekrem abicenabetmatadorbetmatadorbet xmatadorbet bahis sitesimatadorbet 2025matadorbet güncel girişmatadorbet güncel giriş xcasibomceltabetgiftcardmall/mygiftamexgiftcard/balanceinterbahisvbetmeritkingextrabetextrabet girişmaltcasinocasibom giriş