Parents see off students going to the US for study at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on August 19, 2021. Photo: VCG

A day after Chinese Ministry of Education issued a safety warning for Chinese students studying in the US, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday that there have been frequent such incidents being reported over the past few months, with almost 30 of such incidents reported since August, many of which involved violence. 

In most cases, the students and scholars were asked whether their parents are members of the Communist Party of China, and if they have carried tasks set by the Chinese government, Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at Wednesday's media briefing. 

Some were deported based on mind-boggling reasons, such as being suspected of having military background for having photos saved in their phones of their military trainings back in colleges. These interrogations have far exceeded what the US claimed to be "normal scope of law enforcement," Wang noted.

The US has been claiming to welcome Chinese students while on the other hand "inheriting" the evil legacy of the previous Trump administration, Wang said, urging the US to stop such practices that are detrimental to others and to itself.

China's top education authority issued an emergency warning on Tuesday evening to Chinese students in the US after US border agents harassed and interrogated a number of Chinese students with valid visas when entering the country. Some were denied entry and were repatriated on trumped-up charges. 

According to a notice posted on the Ministry of Education's official WeChat account, US Customs and Border Protection launched a special campaign since August, requiring a strengthened review on Chinese students who hold student visas and are about to pursue subjects in the country that fall under the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

Many of these students with eligible visas issued by the US government faced scrutiny as they entered the country and some were deported for fabricated charges, the Ministry said, adding that incidents of confiscation of students' electronic devices still occur from time to time. 

The Ministry once again reminded those who study in the US to raise their safety awareness and pay attention to potential risks in the country, abide by local rules and reply to communications on time to prevent any disruption of classes. 

The topic soon triggered a heated discussion on China's social media platforms, becoming a trend on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo with 65 millions views as of Tuesday evening. 

Netizens, enraged by the relentless attempts by the US to sabotage normal academic exchanges between the two sides, called on Chinese relevant departments to strengthen the oversight on US nationals entering China as a countermeasure, citing an ancient Chinese poem that talks about tit-for-tat revenge. 

Many who plan to pursue studies abroad said that they are choosing other countries over the US as their worries about security grow day by day.

On October 10, China's Consulate General in Los Angeles issued a warning saying that multiple Chinese students were repeatedly asked by US law enforcement officers in Los Angeles International Airport about their purpose for studying in the US and inquired on previous academic activities. The Consulate urged the US to stop using absurd excuses for unwarranted restrictions and suppression of Chinese students.

In July, over 1,000 Chinese students decided to cast away their illusions after they found that even though the US Embassy in Beijing reopened visa applications in early May, strict restrictions on those with high-tech backgrounds remain in place. These restrictions are extended to those who apply to study literature and business.