Bill introduced to ban Chinese military scientists from American labs
Washington: A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced identical resolutions in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate that would require the US government to develop a list of scientific and engineering institutions affiliated with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The bill seeks to prohibit individuals employed or sponsored by these Chinese military institutions from receiving student or research visas to the United States.
Senators Tom Cotton, Chuck Grassley, Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley and Marco Rubio have introduced the legislation in the Senate. Congressmen Mike Gallagher and Vicky Hartzler have introduced the bill in the House.
The lawmakers alleged that Chinese military scientists continue to research advanced dual-use technology in the US and other western countries.
According to some estimates, over the past decade, the PLA has sent over 2,500 military engineers and scientists to study abroad. At times, these scientists have not disclosed their connection to the Chinese military, they alleged.
"In recent years, the PLA has sponsored thousands of scientists and engineers to conduct sensitive research abroad, including in the United States," Congressman Gallagher said.
"The PLA openly admits that it leverages these efforts to support the development of new military technologies and we cannot ignore the threat this poses to our national security," he added.
This is a common-sense bill that will help ensure China's military arm is not collaborating with US universities and researchers on sensitive information, said Congressman Hartzler.
Many of these individuals often mask their PLA and Chinese Communist Party ties, allowing them to work at top universities without the schools' knowledge of their military affiliation.
"This legislation takes an important step to protect our universities from China's efforts to exploit our free and open society," Hartzler said.
The PLA is being armed with help from American colleges and tech companies. Keeping PLA scientists out of US research laboratories is a basic act of self-defence. It is stunning that this practice is not already prohibited, said Senator Cotton.
"Student and research visas ought to be reserved for those foreign nationals who want to contribute to our universities and research institutions, not for our foreign adversaries and spies that wish to do us harm. China has taken advantage of us for too long," said Grassley.
America must be vigilant in protecting the research, training, expertise and innovation that the Chinese Communist Party has been stealing and exploiting for military and industrial purposes, Senator Cruz said.
"We cannot allow Chinese military institutions to obtain visas that give them a technological advantage," said Blackburn.
"Permitting PLA members to access and research dual-use technologies in our universities and labs is damaging to our national security. We can no longer provide them access to the same research opportunities afforded to Americans," he added.
For too long, China's communist government has been exploiting the US student visa system to spy on American universities and steal its technology. This bill will keep the Chinese military away from critical research on American college campuses and curb China's economic espionage activities in the US, said Hawley.
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IYC chief Uday Bhanu Chib released on bail in AI Summit protest case
New Delhi (PTI): Indian Youth Congress national president Uday Bhanu Chib, who was arrested for the "shirtless protest" at AI Impact Summit last month, has been released from Tihar jail, sources said on Tuesday.
The development comes a day after the Delhi High Court stayed a sessions court order that had put Chib's bail on hold.
Soon after walking out of jail, Chib said his first message was that the party stands firmly against the India-US trade deal.
"We will continue our struggle to stop this agreement. Despite knowing its implications, the prime minister is still pushing ahead, which only reaffirms the belief that he is acting as an agent of the West," Chib said.
On Sunday, Justice Saurabh Banerjee heard a plea filed by the IYC chief challenging the sessions court's decision to stay the magistrate's bail order.
The magistrate had granted bail to Chib on February 28, but within hours, the relief was halted by the sessions court.
Chib was sent to four-day police custody by a trial court on February 24.
Visuals recorded outside Tihar jail showed jubilant Youth Congress members lifting Chib on their shoulders as he walked out, before escorting him to a car.
A large crowd had gathered outside the jail to welcome him.
Supporters raised slogans such as "Rahul Gandhi tere naam, yeh jawani hai kurban" (Rahul Gandhi, this youth is dedicated to you) and "PM is compromised".
Many of them were seen waving flags and holding placards that read "Roll back India-US trade deal".
Chib was arrested in connection with the "shirtless protest" by Youth Congress workers at the AI Impact Summit, which India hosted at Bharat Mandapam here on February 20.
At the summit venue, IYC workers protested by removing and holding white T-shirts with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump printed on them, along with slogans such as "India-US Trade Deal", "Epstein Files" and "PM is compromised".
