The U.S. should restore Fulbright exchanges in China and encourage students to study there, Zhiqun Zhu.
In an opinion piece published on insidehighered.com, Zhiqun Zhu argues that the United States should reinstate Fulbright exchanges with China and actively encourage American students to study there. The Fulbright program, a flagship initiative for cultural diplomacy and academic exchanges, has historically facilitated educational opportunities for both American and international students.
However, since July 2020, Fulbright exchanges to and from China have been suspended due to rising U.S.-China tensions. The author contends that this ban should be lifted, especially given China’s significance as a global competitor.
If China is indeed a national security threat, promoting Mandarin language study and fostering a deeper understanding of China’s operations among American students would be a rational policy. Unfortunately, only 211 American students studied in China during the 2021–22 academic year, a sharp decline from pre-COVID levels.
While the U.S. government discourages travel to China, China continues to welcome large numbers of international students for study abroad programs
Burying our heads in the sand is not the way to compete with China!