On May 25th, the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) released a new book titled International Students in China and Career Development. The book, co-authored by CCG Secretary-General Dr. MIAO Lu and Associate Research Fellow Dr. QU Mei, was published by the China Social Sciences Press. The book provides an in-depth analysis of international students in China based in solid data using an international comparative perspective. This book also proposes many practical recommendations for how can China create an environment that is more attractive to global talent.
On May 31, 2022, a number of AAPI Leaders in the SF Bay Area met with Jeff Fields – Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Counter Intelligence and his staff to discuss the misguided China Initiative and its deleterious effects. It has been generally asserted that the Initiative has hurt America’s competitiveness in trying to retain the brightest and the finest after spending fortunes educating them in our top universities. A white paper authored by Jeremy Wu, Stephen Pei and Vincent Wang of the APA Justice was presented to Special Agent Jeff Fields. On Friday, May 27, 2022, a similar meeting was held in the FBI Chicago Field Office on the same issue.
Our friend Professor Da Husan Feng informed us that according to this website, in 2022 the Chinese Ministry of Education has allocated 32 Chinese universities with budgets of US$ 1 billion or more. Not surprisingly, the one that receives the highest amount is the Tsinghua University in Beijing. Its 2022 budget allocation is RMB 36.2 billion (US $5.4 billion). This is an increase from its 2021 allocation of RMB 31.7 billion (US $ 4.73 billion).
What does this all mean?
While U.S. student loan debt totals $1.75 trillion as of April 2022, China is able to make education cheap and affordable, in a large part due to heavy government subsidies. Estimates peg the human capital investment at $250 billion a year.
According to a Forbe’s article, STEM graduates have become a vital cog in the wheel of global prosperity. Not surprisingly, China is leading the way. The World Economic Forum reported that China had 4.7 million recent STEM graduates in 2016. India, another academic powerhouse, had 2.6 million new STEM graduates, while the U.S. had 568,000.
While China is developing plans to retain the brightest and the best international students, the US policy, if there is such a thing, is mired with inconsistencies!
But, let us not despair! The US is a country of immigrants. We are way ahead of China in our ability to attract the best and the brightest. All we need is a long term strategy and not the short term tactics instigated by politicians in the name of “nationalism”.
Our long term national Interests, not “Nationalism” is what really matters!!!