Opinion | Chinese scientists targeted by anti-Asian hate in America may find welcome in Hong Kong
- Chinese academics in America report experiencing an atmosphere of fear and blame amid rise in US-China tensions
- With its top-notch research facilities and high-ranking universities, Hong Kong could prove an attractive alternative
“All men are created equal.” So says the American Declaration of Independence, but some may be more equal than others.
A recent analysis of prosecutions under the Economic Espionage Act, conducted by an association of Chinese-American civic leaders known as the Committee of 100, showed that most defendants charged under the law since 2009 have been people of Chinese descent. Defendants with Asian names were more than twice as likely to be falsely accused of espionage. Defendants of Asian descent were also punished twice as severely as defendants of other races.
It does not help that in 2018, while under the Trump administration, the US Department of Justice launched a programme dubbed the “China Initiative”. Its purpose was to crack down on economic espionage and covert influence operations, focusing heavily on scientists at American universities.
Almost by definition, a “China” Initiative puts a target on ethnic Chinese people regardless of nationality. The controversial programme has been criticised as a form of racial profiling.
This year, the Committee of 100 and the University of Arizona conducted a nationwide blind survey of almost 2,000 Chinese and non-Chinese descent scientists to assess the issue of racial profiling. Results showed that the China Initiative is producing a wave of fear among both groups.