China has reduced the United States for canceling 1,000 student visas

Beijing on Thursday attacked the US decision to cancel more than one visa 1,000 Chinese students and researchers The U.S. government posed a security risk or considered to have ties to China’s military.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said there was discrimination behind the visa decision.

He told a news conference on Thursday that the move was “open political harassment and racial discrimination, a gross violation of the human rights of Chinese students”, the state-owned Global Times newspaper.

Beijing Warned that it has the right to take further action, but did not elaborate.

Acting Chairman Department of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, When the visa announcement was issued on Wednesday, he accused China of misusing student visas to exploit U.S. academics and said China was trying to steal. Corona virus research.

In July, the judiciary charged two Chinese nationals – in China – with hacking governments, dissidents and private companies. COVID-19 Vaccine Research. The hackers allegedly acted for their own gain and for the state defense ministry, the main Chinese intelligence service.

China has denied the allegations.

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The visa action was taken under the May 29 declaration President Donald Trump In response to China’s sanctions Autonomy of Hong Kong, Foreign Ministry spokesman told Reuters.

The declaration, which went into effect on June 1, targets 3,000 to 5,000 people affiliated with universities or institutions in China, and seeks to acquire foreign technology to benefit the Chinese military, according to the United States.

Chinese students make up the largest proportion of international students in the United States, with some They attend 360,000 American schools each year, Colleges generate about $ 14 billion in revenue – yet the COVID-19 epidemic has hit campus revenues hard this fall.

Sino-US relations have sunk to new heights In recent months, the world’s two largest economies have problems with trade and Human rights To Hong Kong And this Corona virus.

Trump spoke of friendly relations Chinese President Xi Jinping, Has developed a strong focus on China as a key part of its campaign Re-election on November 3rd, And accuses his democratic opponent, Joe Biden, Being “soft” towards Beijing.

In the latest sign of sour relations, the state of China is owned People’s daily newspaper The U.S. ambassador to China declined to comment Wednesday, saying the article did not meet its standards.

Reuters contributed to this report.