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CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Dreams cut short, Chinese students anxious and angry over ‘aggressive' US visa ban plans
Kiwi Zhang, a computer science student from China, was full of hope for his academic future in the United States – until his visa was revoked at the US border last week. The first-year PhD student at a university in central US had just presented his research at a conference in Asia. He was returning to the US after a brief visit home when his American dream was abruptly cut short. According to Zhang, he was detained at the border for 48 hours by US officials, who confiscated his phone and laptop, and searched his belongings. He said they questioned him about his ties to the Chinese Communist Party and meetings with friends while in China. At the end of the interrogation, Zhang said he was deported and barred from the US for five years, on suspicion of having shared his research with the Chinese government – an allegation he denies. He is now back in China and mulling his next steps. 'I never imagined this could happen to me,' said Zhang, who – like everyone CNN spoke to for this story – asked to use a pseudonym out of fear of retaliation. 'I didn't know things would get this extreme after Donald Trump returned to office. His administration is jeopardizing my academic future, and I feel powerless to defend my rights.' Now, many Chinese students studying in the US fear they could meet the same fate, after President Trump's administration vowed on Wednesday to 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' The announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio was brief and vaguely worded, but it sent shock waves through China, triggering widespread confusion, anxiety and fear among current and prospective students and their families, as well as strong opposition from Beijing. Student chat groups lit up with messages of disbelief. Education consultants were flooded with panicked phone calls. Many students aired their frustration and anger on social media. At a regular news conference Thursday, China's foreign ministry accused the Trump administration of using ideology and national security as a 'pretext' for the 'politically motivated and discriminatory' move. Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of young Chinese minds, drawn by the prestige of a world-class education and the allure of the American dream, found themselves facing a stark reality: the future they had worked so hard for now hangs in the balance, held hostage by the whims of a US administration that increasingly views them – and their homeland – as a threat. 'What strikes me is how tiny individuals are in the tide of history – career plans can collapse overnight,' said Joyce, who received an offer from her dream school, Harvard, to pursue a master's degree in architecture. Her visa from her undergraduate program in the US is still valid for another year, but she did not dare to return to China for the summer, worrying that she might be denied reentry at the US border. 'I can't help wishing I'd grown up in a golden age of US-China relations,' she said. For decades, China's brightest minds have flocked to America, as their home country played catch-up with the world's leading superpower. Until last year, Chinese students made up the largest group of international students in the US, contributing significantly to the economy and helping America maintain its competitive edge in scientific research and technological innovation. But as strategic rivalry between the two nations intensifies, mistrust has deepened. Both sides have ramped up national security measures and grown more protective of their advanced technologies – particularly in sensitive sectors with military implications. During his first term in 2020, Trump introduced a ban that effectively denied US visas to graduates in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields from Chinese universities believed to be linked to the military. Within just three months, more than 1,000 Chinese nationals had their visas revoked, and the order remained in place under former President Joe Biden. It's unclear how quickly or widely the new revocations will be carried out. But the fear is palpable in CNN's interviews with Chinese students. Studying in a country that has long held itself up as a beacon of freedom, many were too afraid to speak openly under their real names – a fear all too familiar to those back in China. They include David Yang, whose heart sank when he saw Rubio's announcement. 'This is just too surreal,' said the second-year PhD student in theoretical chemistry at a top university in the Midwestern US. 'When the news broke, some classmates said they were working on their final assignments but completely lost the motivation to continue. I felt the same way,' he said. In recent weeks, Yang has found it nearly impossible to focus on his research, simulating how molecules interact with each other in the human body. Instead, he's been glued to the news, anxiously tracking Trump's escalating war on elite universities and international students, trying to gauge whether he might land in the crossfire. Last week, the Trump administration barred Harvard University from enrolling international students, accusing the prestigious institution of 'coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,' among other allegations. Although a federal court has since blocked the move, the State Department soon followed with a diplomatic cable instructing US embassies and consulates worldwide to halt new student visa appointments. As Yang scrolled through the headlines, periods of anxiety would suddenly hit, and he found himself compulsively refreshing news sites over and over. 'I felt sad, lost and helpless. It's been incredibly stressful,' he said. 'The constant policy changes bring so much uncertainty into our lives. It really impacts productivity and, over time, takes a toll on your mental health – and for me, it already has.' Worried about his visa, Yang is planning on canceling his trip home this winter. His major could well fall under what Rubio called 'critical fields' and – like millions of Chinese students – he's a member of the Communist Youth League, a youth branch of the 99-million-strong Communist Party for those aged between 14 and 28. In China, most students are Youth League members by the time they finish high school, or have party members among family and friends – thanks to the party's ubiquity across government and business, as well as cultural and social sectors. 'The vast majority of people in China have some connection to the Communist Party – so this is essentially the same as condemning all Chinese students with a single stroke,' Yang said. Zhang, the student whose visa was revoked at the border, said US officials asked whether anyone in his family was a member of the Communist Party. He told them both of his parents were. They then questioned him about his own affiliation with the Communist Youth League, he said. 'I said I've never had any connection with them. The Communist Youth League charges us seven or eight yuan (about $1) a year, but there are no activities at all. But the officials said: 'You are lying.' I honestly didn't know what to say. I could only sit there, stunned,' Zhang said. Facing potential deportation in the middle of their hard-won education, some Chinese students are considering other options. Ella Liu, a math undergraduate at the University of Michigan, is visiting family in the southern city of Guangzhou before her summer research project in the US starts next month. 'Me and my parents are all praying that I won't be banned from entering the country in June,' she said. Liu was drawn to the US by its academic freedom and resources. But if the hardline visa policy continues, she might consider transferring to another university in Europe or Hong Kong. 'I am very determined to study mathematics and there are also many excellent math resources in other countries, such as in France,' she said. Like many Chinese students, Liu comes from a middle-class family. Her parents saved for years for her to attend college in the US, where tuition and living costs can run to more than $80,000 – much more than getting a degree in Europe or Asia. Some Chinese students are already looking elsewhere. In recent years, the number of Chinese students in the US has steadily declined from a peak in the 2019-2020 school year – a drop that coincides with the Covid-19 pandemic but also increasing friction between the two governments. Nelson Urena Jr., co-founder and director of college counseling at an education management firm in Shanghai, said that for years many Chinese families saw American universities as the 'gold standard' for college education. Since around 2018, however, he has noticed more interest from students and parents alike in universities in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong. 'A lot of families were concerned legitimately about their children's safety, and then also just the rhetoric of, you know, whether they're welcome in the US,' he said, citing issues such as gun violence and racist hostility or even violence against Asian people. 'More recently, I think people are starting to see the growing disconnect between the US and China, and feeling like maybe things are going to be more difficult for them – from getting the visa to making payments for tuitions.' Rubio's announcement Wednesday also vowed to 'revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications' from China, including Hong Kong. Since then, Urena has been inundated by phone calls from anxious students preparing to start their college education in the US. But he didn't have a ready response for them. 'It's just a lot of uncertainty right now. The students are trying to figure out what to do…The options are very limited at this point – Do they do a gap year? Do they go to university elsewhere? Do they have to go back to the application process?' he said. Nevertheless, for some Chinese parents, the allure of American higher education has not worn off. Arno Huang, a 56-year-old businessman from China's coastal Fujian province, still wants to send his kids to the US for graduate schools after they finish undergraduate studies in Hong Kong. 'The US represents one of the most civilized, developed, and open places for humanity. Although US-China relations are currently strained, smart people still recognize this fact,' said Huang. Having kids studying in the US gives a family 'face,' he said, using a common Chinese phrase to refer to good reputation or social standing. 'Once their child is in the US, they can proudly tell others, 'Look how successful my son is!'' Zichen Wang, a research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, a non-government think tank in Beijing, lamented a seemingly bygone era, when Chinese officials, entrepreneurs and scientists alike were trained in the US – especially those who played key roles during China's reform and opening-up era that began in 1978. 'When they returned to China, they brought back not only professional knowledge and credentials, but also a deep respect and admiration for America as an open and inclusive society,' he said. 'I believe many Chinese people see what makes America great not merely as its economic or military strength, but its openness – its world-class universities, its confidence in the marketplace of ideas, and its ability to attract top global talent,' Wang added. 'That, at least in my view, is what many people around the world truly admire about the United States.'
CNN
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Dreams cut short, Chinese students anxious and angry over ‘aggressive' US visa ban plans
Kiwi Zhang, a computer science student from China, was full of hope for his academic future in the United States – until his visa was revoked at the US border last week. The first-year PhD student at a university in central US had just presented his research at a conference in Asia. He was returning to the US after a brief visit home when his American dream was abruptly cut short. According to Zhang, he was detained at the border for 48 hours by US officials, who confiscated his phone and laptop, and searched his belongings. He said they questioned him about his ties to the Chinese Communist Party and meetings with friends while in China. At the end of the interrogation, Zhang said he was deported and barred from the US for five years, on suspicion of having shared his research with the Chinese government – an allegation he denies. He is now back in China and mulling his next steps. 'I never imagined this could happen to me,' said Zhang, who – like everyone CNN spoke to for this story – asked to use a pseudonym out of fear of retaliation. 'I didn't know things would get this extreme after Donald Trump returned to office. His administration is jeopardizing my academic future, and I feel powerless to defend my rights.' Now, many Chinese students studying in the US fear they could meet the same fate, after President Trump's administration vowed on Wednesday to 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' The announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio was brief and vaguely worded, but it sent shock waves through China, triggering widespread confusion, anxiety and fear among current and prospective students and their families, as well as strong opposition from Beijing. Student chat groups lit up with messages of disbelief. Education consultants were flooded with panicked phone calls. Many students aired their frustration and anger on social media. At a regular news conference Thursday, China's foreign ministry accused the Trump administration of using ideology and national security as a 'pretext' for the 'politically motivated and discriminatory' move. Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of young Chinese minds, drawn by the prestige of a world-class education and the allure of the American dream, found themselves facing a stark reality: the future they had worked so hard for now hangs in the balance, held hostage by the whims of a US administration that increasingly views them – and their homeland – as a threat. 'What strikes me is how tiny individuals are in the tide of history – career plans can collapse overnight,' said Joyce, who received an offer from her dream school, Harvard, to pursue a master's degree in architecture. Her visa from her undergraduate program in the US is still valid for another year, but she did not dare to return to China for the summer, worrying that she might be denied reentry at the US border. 'I can't help wishing I'd grown up in a golden age of US-China relations,' she said. For decades, China's brightest minds have flocked to America, as their home country played catch-up with the world's leading superpower. Until last year, Chinese students made up the largest group of international students in the US, contributing significantly to the economy and helping America maintain its competitive edge in scientific research and technological innovation. But as strategic rivalry between the two nations intensifies, mistrust has deepened. Both sides have ramped up national security measures and grown more protective of their advanced technologies – particularly in sensitive sectors with military implications. During his first term in 2020, Trump introduced a ban that effectively denied US visas to graduates in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields from Chinese universities believed to be linked to the military. Within just three months, more than 1,000 Chinese nationals had their visas revoked, and the order remained in place under former President Joe Biden. It's unclear how quickly or widely the new revocations will be carried out. But the fear is palpable in CNN's interviews with Chinese students. Studying in a country that has long held itself up as a beacon of freedom, many were too afraid to speak openly under their real names – a fear all too familiar to those back in China. They include David Yang, whose heart sank when he saw Rubio's announcement. 'This is just too surreal,' said the second-year PhD student in theoretical chemistry at a top university in the Midwestern US. 'When the news broke, some classmates said they were working on their final assignments but completely lost the motivation to continue. I felt the same way,' he said. In recent weeks, Yang has found it nearly impossible to focus on his research, simulating how molecules interact with each other in the human body. Instead, he's been glued to the news, anxiously tracking Trump's escalating war on elite universities and international students, trying to gauge whether he might land in the crossfire. Last week, the Trump administration barred Harvard University from enrolling international students, accusing the prestigious institution of 'coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,' among other allegations. Although a federal court has since blocked the move, the State Department soon followed with a diplomatic cable instructing US embassies and consulates worldwide to halt new student visa appointments. As Yang scrolled through the headlines, periods of anxiety would suddenly hit, and he found himself compulsively refreshing news sites over and over. 'I felt sad, lost and helpless. It's been incredibly stressful,' he said. 'The constant policy changes bring so much uncertainty into our lives. It really impacts productivity and, over time, takes a toll on your mental health – and for me, it already has.' Worried about his visa, Yang is planning on canceling his trip home this winter. His major could well fall under what Rubio called 'critical fields' and – like millions of Chinese students – he's a member of the Communist Youth League, a youth branch of the 99-million-strong Communist Party for those aged between 14 and 28. In China, most students are Youth League members by the time they finish high school, or have party members among family and friends – thanks to the party's ubiquity across government and business, as well as cultural and social sectors. 'The vast majority of people in China have some connection to the Communist Party – so this is essentially the same as condemning all Chinese students with a single stroke,' Yang said. Zhang, the student whose visa was revoked at the border, said US officials asked whether anyone in his family was a member of the Communist Party. He told them both of his parents were. They then questioned him about his own affiliation with the Communist Youth League, he said. 'I said I've never had any connection with them. The Communist Youth League charges us seven or eight yuan (about $1) a year, but there are no activities at all. But the officials said: 'You are lying.' I honestly didn't know what to say. I could only sit there, stunned,' Zhang said. Facing potential deportation in the middle of their hard-won education, some Chinese students are considering other options. Ella Liu, a math undergraduate at the University of Michigan, is visiting family in the southern city of Guangzhou before her summer research project in the US starts next month. 'Me and my parents are all praying that I won't be banned from entering the country in June,' she said. Liu was drawn to the US by its academic freedom and resources. But if the hardline visa policy continues, she might consider transferring to another university in Europe or Hong Kong. 'I am very determined to study mathematics and there are also many excellent math resources in other countries, such as in France,' she said. Like many Chinese students, Liu comes from a middle-class family. Her parents saved for years for her to attend college in the US, where tuition and living costs can run to more than $80,000 – much more than getting a degree in Europe or Asia. Some Chinese students are already looking elsewhere. In recent years, the number of Chinese students in the US has steadily declined from a peak in the 2019-2020 school year – a drop that coincides with the Covid-19 pandemic but also increasing friction between the two governments. Nelson Urena Jr., co-founder and director of college counseling at an education management firm in Shanghai, said that for years many Chinese families saw American universities as the 'gold standard' for college education. Since around 2018, however, he has noticed more interest from students and parents alike in universities in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong. 'A lot of families were concerned legitimately about their children's safety, and then also just the rhetoric of, you know, whether they're welcome in the US,' he said, citing issues such as gun violence and racist hostility or even violence against Asian people. 'More recently, I think people are starting to see the growing disconnect between the US and China, and feeling like maybe things are going to be more difficult for them – from getting the visa to making payments for tuitions.' Rubio's announcement Wednesday also vowed to 'revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications' from China, including Hong Kong. Since then, Urena has been inundated by phone calls from anxious students preparing to start their college education in the US. But he didn't have a ready response for them. 'It's just a lot of uncertainty right now. The students are trying to figure out what to do…The options are very limited at this point – Do they do a gap year? Do they go to university elsewhere? Do they have to go back to the application process?' he said. Nevertheless, for some Chinese parents, the allure of American higher education has not worn off. Arno Huang, a 56-year-old businessman from China's coastal Fujian province, still wants to send his kids to the US for graduate schools after they finish undergraduate studies in Hong Kong. 'The US represents one of the most civilized, developed, and open places for humanity. Although US-China relations are currently strained, smart people still recognize this fact,' said Huang. Having kids studying in the US gives a family 'face,' he said, using a common Chinese phrase to refer to good reputation or social standing. 'Once their child is in the US, they can proudly tell others, 'Look how successful my son is!'' Zichen Wang, a research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, a non-government think tank in Beijing, lamented a seemingly bygone era, when Chinese officials, entrepreneurs and scientists alike were trained in the US – especially those who played key roles during China's reform and opening-up era that began in 1978. 'When they returned to China, they brought back not only professional knowledge and credentials, but also a deep respect and admiration for America as an open and inclusive society,' he said. 'I believe many Chinese people see what makes America great not merely as its economic or military strength, but its openness – its world-class universities, its confidence in the marketplace of ideas, and its ability to attract top global talent,' Wang added. 'That, at least in my view, is what many people around the world truly admire about the United States.'
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Dreams cut short, Chinese students anxious and angry over ‘aggressive' US visa ban plans
Kiwi Zhang, a computer science student from China, was full of hope for his academic future in the United States – until his visa was revoked at the US border last week. The first-year PhD student at a university in central US had just presented his research at a conference in Asia. He was returning to the US after a brief visit home when his American dream was abruptly cut short. According to Zhang, he was detained at the border for 48 hours by US officials, who confiscated his phone and laptop, and searched his belongings. He said they questioned him about his ties to the Chinese Communist Party and meetings with friends while in China. At the end of the interrogation, Zhang said he was deported and barred from the US for five years, on suspicion of having shared his research with the Chinese government – an allegation he denies. He is now back in China and mulling his next steps. 'I never imagined this could happen to me,' said Zhang, who – like everyone CNN spoke to for this story – asked to use a pseudonym out of fear of retaliation. 'I didn't know things would get this extreme after Donald Trump returned to office. His administration is jeopardizing my academic future, and I feel powerless to defend my rights.' Now, many Chinese students studying in the US fear they could meet the same fate, after President Trump's administration vowed on Wednesday to 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' The announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio was brief and vaguely worded, but it sent shock waves through China, triggering widespread confusion, anxiety and fear among current and prospective students and their families, as well as strong opposition from Beijing. Student chat groups lit up with messages of disbelief. Education consultants were flooded with panicked phone calls. Many students aired their frustration and anger on social media. At a regular news conference Thursday, China's foreign ministry accused the Trump administration of using ideology and national security as a 'pretext' for the 'politically motivated and discriminatory' move. Suddenly, hundreds of thousands of young Chinese minds, drawn by the prestige of a world-class education and the allure of the American dream, found themselves facing a stark reality: the future they had worked so hard for now hangs in the balance, held hostage by the whims of a US administration that increasingly views them – and their homeland – as a threat. 'What strikes me is how tiny individuals are in the tide of history – career plans can collapse overnight,' said Joyce, who received an offer from her dream school, Harvard, to pursue a master's degree in architecture. Her visa from her undergraduate program in the US is still valid for another year, but she did not dare to return to China for the summer, worrying that she might be denied reentry at the US border. 'I can't help wishing I'd grown up in a golden age of US-China relations,' she said. For decades, China's brightest minds have flocked to America, as their home country played catch-up with the world's leading superpower. Until last year, Chinese students made up the largest group of international students in the US, contributing significantly to the economy and helping America maintain its competitive edge in scientific research and technological innovation. But as strategic rivalry between the two nations intensifies, mistrust has deepened. Both sides have ramped up national security measures and grown more protective of their advanced technologies – particularly in sensitive sectors with military implications. During his first term in 2020, Trump introduced a ban that effectively denied US visas to graduates in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields from Chinese universities believed to be linked to the military. Within just three months, more than 1,000 Chinese nationals had their visas revoked, and the order remained in place under former President Joe Biden. It's unclear how quickly or widely the new revocations will be carried out. But the fear is palpable in CNN's interviews with Chinese students. Studying in a country that has long held itself up as a beacon of freedom, many were too afraid to speak openly under their real names – a fear all too familiar to those back in China. They include David Yang, whose heart sank when he saw Rubio's announcement. 'This is just too surreal,' said the second-year PhD student in theoretical chemistry at a top university in the Midwestern US. 'When the news broke, some classmates said they were working on their final assignments but completely lost the motivation to continue. I felt the same way,' he said. In recent weeks, Yang has found it nearly impossible to focus on his research, simulating how molecules interact with each other in the human body. Instead, he's been glued to the news, anxiously tracking Trump's escalating war on elite universities and international students, trying to gauge whether he might land in the crossfire. Last week, the Trump administration barred Harvard University from enrolling international students, accusing the prestigious institution of 'coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,' among other allegations. Although a federal court has since blocked the move, the State Department soon followed with a diplomatic cable instructing US embassies and consulates worldwide to halt new student visa appointments. As Yang scrolled through the headlines, periods of anxiety would suddenly hit, and he found himself compulsively refreshing news sites over and over. 'I felt sad, lost and helpless. It's been incredibly stressful,' he said. 'The constant policy changes bring so much uncertainty into our lives. It really impacts productivity and, over time, takes a toll on your mental health – and for me, it already has.' Worried about his visa, Yang is planning on canceling his trip home this winter. His major could well fall under what Rubio called 'critical fields' and – like millions of Chinese students – he's a member of the Communist Youth League, a youth branch of the 99-million-strong Communist Party for those aged between 14 and 28. In China, most students are Youth League members by the time they finish high school, or have party members among family and friends – thanks to the party's ubiquity across government and business, as well as cultural and social sectors. 'The vast majority of people in China have some connection to the Communist Party – so this is essentially the same as condemning all Chinese students with a single stroke,' Yang said. Zhang, the student whose visa was revoked at the border, said US officials asked whether anyone in his family was a member of the Communist Party. He told them both of his parents were. They then questioned him about his own affiliation with the Communist Youth League, he said. 'I said I've never had any connection with them. The Communist Youth League charges us seven or eight yuan (about $1) a year, but there are no activities at all. But the officials said: 'You are lying.' I honestly didn't know what to say. I could only sit there, stunned,' Zhang said. Facing potential deportation in the middle of their hard-won education, some Chinese students are considering other options. Ella Liu, a math undergraduate at the University of Michigan, is visiting family in the southern city of Guangzhou before her summer research project in the US starts next month. 'Me and my parents are all praying that I won't be banned from entering the country in June,' she said. Liu was drawn to the US by its academic freedom and resources. But if the hardline visa policy continues, she might consider transferring to another university in Europe or Hong Kong. 'I am very determined to study mathematics and there are also many excellent math resources in other countries, such as in France,' she said. Like many Chinese students, Liu comes from a middle-class family. Her parents saved for years for her to attend college in the US, where tuition and living costs can run to more than $80,000 – much more than getting a degree in Europe or Asia. Some Chinese students are already looking elsewhere. In recent years, the number of Chinese students in the US has steadily declined from a peak in the 2019-2020 school year – a drop that coincides with the Covid-19 pandemic but also increasing friction between the two governments. Nelson Urena Jr., co-founder and director of college counseling at an education management firm in Shanghai, said that for years many Chinese families saw American universities as the 'gold standard' for college education. Since around 2018, however, he has noticed more interest from students and parents alike in universities in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, as well as the semi-autonomous Chinese city of Hong Kong. 'A lot of families were concerned legitimately about their children's safety, and then also just the rhetoric of, you know, whether they're welcome in the US,' he said, citing issues such as gun violence and racist hostility or even violence against Asian people. 'More recently, I think people are starting to see the growing disconnect between the US and China, and feeling like maybe things are going to be more difficult for them – from getting the visa to making payments for tuitions.' Rubio's announcement Wednesday also vowed to 'revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications' from China, including Hong Kong. Since then, Urena has been inundated by phone calls from anxious students preparing to start their college education in the US. But he didn't have a ready response for them. 'It's just a lot of uncertainty right now. The students are trying to figure out what to do…The options are very limited at this point – Do they do a gap year? Do they go to university elsewhere? Do they have to go back to the application process?' he said. Nevertheless, for some Chinese parents, the allure of American higher education has not worn off. Arno Huang, a 56-year-old businessman from China's coastal Fujian province, still wants to send his kids to the US for graduate schools after they finish undergraduate studies in Hong Kong. 'The US represents one of the most civilized, developed, and open places for humanity. Although US-China relations are currently strained, smart people still recognize this fact,' said Huang. Having kids studying in the US gives a family 'face,' he said, using a common Chinese phrase to refer to good reputation or social standing. 'Once their child is in the US, they can proudly tell others, 'Look how successful my son is!'' Zichen Wang, a research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, a non-government think tank in Beijing, lamented a seemingly bygone era, when Chinese officials, entrepreneurs and scientists alike were trained in the US – especially those who played key roles during China's reform and opening-up era that began in 1978. 'When they returned to China, they brought back not only professional knowledge and credentials, but also a deep respect and admiration for America as an open and inclusive society,' he said. 'I believe many Chinese people see what makes America great not merely as its economic or military strength, but its openness – its world-class universities, its confidence in the marketplace of ideas, and its ability to attract top global talent,' Wang added. 'That, at least in my view, is what many people around the world truly admire about the United States.'
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- News.com.au
Australian woman Madolline Gourley reveals how being ‘refused' at the US border has changed her life
An Australian woman who was rejected at the US border and put on the first flight back to Brisbane says the ordeal has been life-changing in the worst possible way ever since. In 2022, Queenslander Madolline Gourley arrived to the always-chaotic Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on a flight in from Brisbane. Ms Gourley revealed to at the time — almost three years ago — she was detained while passing through the international terminal on June 30, 2022 — claiming officials were suspicious about her intention to house-sit while holidaying in Canada. After an interrogation barely five hours after arriving to the US, Ms Gourley was told she was being denied entry and would be sent back to Brisbane on the next available flight. The reason? According to officials, she had breached the conditions of the visa waiver program. Ms Gourley had made the mistake of attempting to enter the US (and onwards to Canada) on a tourist visa. But given she had intended to house-and pet-sit through websites like TrustedHousesitters to cut accommodation costs, this was deemed as a breach. The US Customs and Border Protection said the visa waiver program prohibited applicants from engaging 'in any type of employment' or receiving 'compensation for services rendered'. This includes house-sitting services in exchange for free accommodation. The CBP spokesperson said it took 'allegations of unprofessional behaviour seriously'. Following her detention, Ms Gourley made headlines around the world after speaking out about the interrogation experience — including the moment she was patted down by US immigration officials and even asked whether she was pregnant or had recently had an abortion. Ms Gourley at the time explained to the ordeal went from 'one disaster to the next' but three years later, the now 35-year-old said the refusal has plagued her travels and attempts at entering foreign countries around the world ever since. Speaking to from Brisbane, Ms Gourley said her most recent venture across the ditch to New Zealand was met with questioning from immigration and even having her passport blocked before she'd left Australian soil. While filling out her New Zealand Electronic Travel Declaration for a trip in April, she was met with the single question about previously being deported or refused entry to a country. 'I mulled on the question before answering, but always say yes to whether I have been deported or refused entry,' she said. 'The frustration is that the question doesn't break it down [whether a person was deported or refused] … it's just a very broad question, so when I do answer 'yes' to it, immigration doesn't know if it's a 'yes' to being deported, or a yes to being refused.' Upon arrival for her trip to Auckland, Ms Gourley said she was unable to check-in for her flights from Brisbane airport because she had answered 'yes' to the entry declaration's question: 'Have you been deported, removed, barred or refused entry to another country?' 'A Qantas staff member had to call New Zealand Immigration and I was asked several questions before the officer went to discuss my situation with his colleague,' she explained. 'The passport block was lifted and I was able to check-in and travel, but all of this happened before I'd even left Australia at Brisbane Airport. 'Being deported, removed or barred makes a traveller ineligible to enter New Zealand. But as I was only refused entry, I was permitted to enter, but not without having to explain what happened at length. 'I left [doing the declaration] until the last minute, because I knew I had to answer that particular question and it made me very nervous. I knew I should be OK to enter, but with this — I never really know if I will be OK.' Ms Gourley said because anyone deported, removed or rejected from another country has stronger barricades in place for entry into Australia, the UK, the USA and Canada — she expects this will be an issue for life. And for those who think she should simply tell a lie on the form, there's a stamp on her passport that says she was refused entry. 'My understanding is this will always happen … So while I was prepared for this, I was prepared for it to happen in New Zealand … not before I'd even checked in to Brisbane airport and left Australia,' she said. 'Travel comes with anxiety for me now. I didn't expect all this drama at Brisbane airport … I expected it once I got to Auckland. So it was even more anxiety causing because I hadn't even left the country and I was potentially being told no.' Ms Gourley said despite this refusal from the US for having the wrong visa, and the subsequent havoc that has caused for other international trips — it has not deterred her from seeing the world. 'It's not turned me off travelling, because not every country asks that question on the incoming passenger declaration,' she said, 'I do know you need a work visa … I have learnt my lesson so with that … but for it to follow me for the rest of my life without having broken laws in those countries [I am intending to visit] is a bit excessive. 'My record will never leave the US immigrations records and it will always be there. As long as you get that question on the declaration, I will always answer it truthfully'.
