China has condemned the “smearing” of Chinese students studying in the United States after the University of North Texas expelled 15 Chinese researchers last week.

The researchers had their U.S. visas revoked on Aug. 26 after the university cut ties with the source of their funding, the state-backed Chinese Scholarship Council, according to a report by the Denton Record-Chronicle. They are expected to leave the U.S. within a month.

University spokesperson Jim Berscheidt said the decision was limited to the 15 visiting researchers and “does not impact any student enrolled and studying at the university.”

“UNT continues to welcome visiting scholars from around the world, including China,” he said.

University officials told the scholars in a letter that they could no longer access their university email, servers, and other materials. They must also be accompanied during any campus visits before their departure.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying criticized the university’s decision on Tuesday, saying that it was “an attempt to smear visiting Chinese students by extreme anti-China forces.”

Chinese students and scholars account for one-third of foreign students in the U.S. and their contributions to the country’s technological innovation and economic development are valued at over US$15 billion annually, Hua said.

Hua added that the U.S. had turned away from its foundational values of openness, tolerance and inclusivity, and instead was filled with “close-mindedness, hatred and xenophobia.”

She urged U.S. authorities to view the bilateral relationship in a rational light, and to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the two nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on May 29 that barred the entry of Chinese students who had been associated with the “military-civil fusion strategy” of the Chinese state. It is unclear whether the visa revocation of the 15 UNT scholars was related to Trump’s proclamation.

The Chinese Scholarship Council is a non-profit organization under the Chinese Ministry of Education, according to its website. It awards state funds for Chinese students to study abroad, and for international students to study in China.

A petition calling for the University of North Texas to reverse its decision on Change.org has received nearly 4,000 signatures since Aug. 26.

Click here for Chinese version

---------------------------------

Apple Daily’s all-new English Edition is now available on the mobile app: bit.ly/2yMMfQE

To download the latest version,

iOS: bit.ly/AD_iOS

Android: bit.ly/AD_android

Or search Appledaily in App Store or Google Play