Chinese and Hong Kong Students Studying in the US Subject to National Security Law... "Risk of Prosecution for System-Critical Discussions"

Over 370,000 Chinese Students Enrolled for US Fall Semester Starting in September
Most Classes Held Online Due to COVID-19...Concerns Over Hacking by Chinese Authorities

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] It has been reported that American universities are preparing measures to ensure the personal security of Chinese and Hong Kong students studying in the United States. Due to the new national security law imposed by China on Hong Kong, if students engage in regime-critical discussions or attend related classes in the U.S., there is a risk that these students could be extradited to the Chinese government. In particular, with most universities expected to conduct online classes for the fall semester due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), concerns are rising that surveillance by the Chinese government will intensify.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 20th (local time), American universities such as Harvard University and Princeton University plan to attach warning notices to classes that include discussions critical of the Chinese regime or cover topics related to Chinese political affairs, in order to protect the personal safety of Chinese and Hong Kong students. As the possibility has been raised that Chinese authorities may prosecute and forcibly extradite students and staff of Chinese and Hong Kong nationality, American universities are reportedly considering countermeasures.

At Princeton University, Chinese and Hong Kong students enrolled in classes related to Chinese politics will be allowed to use numbers or codes instead of their names on submitted reports and other assignments to protect their identities. Harvard Business School stated that if students are concerned about risks, discussions on politically sensitive topics in class can be avoided. Amherst College is reportedly considering discussion classes through anonymous online chats.

The reason American universities are particularly sensitive is that most classes for this fall semester are expected to be conducted online due to the impact of COVID-19. Compared to offline classes, there is a higher possibility that the Chinese government may attempt hacking or obtain class records separately, thereby applying the national security law.

It is reported that 370,000 Chinese students and about 7,000 Hong Kong students have registered at American universities for this fall semester. WSJ added that many Chinese students want to take classes on Chinese law, culture, and politics because they wish to better understand how Americans and people outside China view China’s political situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.