Banning Chinese Nationals Takes Cold War to Extremes
Moves by the Trump administration and lawmakers to turn away Chinese students and workers could exact an economic and social toll on the U.S.
College campuses are no place to open a new front in the U.S.-China cold war.
Photographer: Wang He/Getty Images AsiaPacWith tensions between the U.S. and China heating up, there are increasing calls for expelling or barring Chinese nationals from U.S. universities and corporations. Whatever the national security justification for these moves, policy makers should be aware of the potential downsides -- loss of economic vitality, and the potential for a wave of racial discrimination.
Over the past few years, U.S. public opinion of China has soured dramatically, accelerating a trend that began with the accession of Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2012. The trend is bipartisan and holds across age groups. The reasons for it are varied and manifold.