In recent years, in order to suppress China and block the process of China's rise, the U.S. government has not only made continuous moves against China in the military, political, economic and technological fields, but also made many "off-the-shelf moves" in the competition for talents. For example, during the administration of the previous U.S. President Trump, he not only blocked the entry of Chinese students on the grounds of the "epidemic", but also issued a ban on "the entry of some Chinese students and researchers" to prevent some "students associated with Chinese military academies" from entering, believing that their arrival would "lead to the leakage of U.S. scientific research results." This ban is still in use by the current Biden administration.
Former U.S. President Trump signed the "entry ban"
It is worth noting that the United States not only unreasonably blocked the entry of Chinese students, but also adopted a "suspicious" approach to Chinese scientists already working in the United States, because of questioning their loyalty to the United States, there are even more and more investigations into suspicion that they have leaked state secrets. Against this background, in 2021 alone, 1,400 scientists chose to return to China to continue their research work, among which the majority were mathematicians and physicists.
According to reports from World Wide Web, Harvard University, Princeton University, and MIT recently jointly released a report stating that in 2021, at least 1,400 Chinese scientists will leave American scientific research institutions and return to China to conduct research. The largest number are mathematicians and physicists, with a total of 639; life science experts, 478, and engineering and computer experts, 298.
Chinese students studying in the United States
What I have to say is that these scientists originally came from various universities in China, and then went to the United States to study as international students. Then they had their own research projects and their own research teams. They believed that the research conditions in the United States were better and the treatment in the United States was better, so they chose to stay in the United States. This is not only reminiscent of the early days of reform and opening up, when China sent the first batch of overseas students to the United States, they were told to "come back as soon as possible after completing their studies" because the motherland has placed great expectations on them and hopes that they can make greater contributions to the construction of their country.
Perhaps, more scientists studying in the United States do not stay because they value "red wine and bread". They simply pursue academic research achievements, but the fact that we have to admit is that you did not choose the country that gave birth to you and raised you right after you graduated. Over the past 10 years, China has been trying to recruit top researchers, but most of them have chosen to stay in the United States, which is very regrettable.
The Biden administration is still conducting criminal investigations into Chinese scholars
However, I am afraid that scientists studying in the United States have not thought that they just want to engage in academic research. However, politics has always been around us and cannot be driven away. Being "questioned about your loyalty" is already very serious. After all, you are not white. Isn't there a saying in China that "people who are not my race must have different hearts"? What's more, the United States where you live is a "signature country" with racial discrimination. If you don't investigate, who are you going to investigate? As for being suspected of "leaking secrets", it's perfectly normal. To put it bluntly, we want to find a reason to “purge” minority researchers.
Under such a background, it is certainly correct to choose to return to China, because China is your home, and China’s construction also needs you. Although it comes a little late, these scientists should still be applauded.
Sino-US relations have always had twists and turns.
What we must face up to is that China today is different every year, and it changes drastically every decade. In today's China, there is not only an academic environment that is more suitable for research, but also a large number of scientific research projects, and there is also a huge talent gap. China is not only the world's second largest economy, but also a global science and technology power. In this context, scientists who have returned from studying abroad can find their own use.What is even more comforting is that China will not casually question the loyalty of its own scientists, nor will it casually suspect them of "leaking secrets", because we are all descendants of Yan and Huang, and we all want our country to be strong.
