A group of prominent Chinese-Americans known as the Committee of 100 has condemned a bill that proposes to ban Chinese nationals from obtaining all main classes of student visas to the US as “not just exclusionary but self-defeating”.
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The non-profit, non-partisan organisation’s chairman Gary Locke, who was Washington’s ambassador to China from 2011 to 2014, said in a statement on Monday that the US “has always thrived by welcoming the brightest minds from around the world”.
“Shutting the door on Chinese students doesn’t just betray our values, it weakens our leadership in science, technology, and innovation,” said Locke, in response to the legislation introduced last week by US House Republican Riley Moore of West Virginia.
“The Stop CCP Visas Act is not just exclusionary but self-defeating. We must stand for opportunity, not fear, and ensure that talent and progress continue to flourish in our nation,” Locke added.
The Committee of 100 has been in existence since 1998. Its founding members include world famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma, renowned architect I.M. Pei, Wall Street veteran Henry Tang and noted philanthropist Oscar Tang.
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Moore’s bill – which must pass the Republican-controlled House and Senate before it can be signed into law by President Donald Trump – seeks to prevent Chinese nationals from entering the US on student visas, regardless of their field or academic level.