China warns students of security risks in US after ‘interrogations’ at LA airport
- Los Angeles consulate says border agents repeatedly questioned Chinese students over their study plans, academic record and previous employers
- Some arrivals were threatened and eventually denied entry to the US, consulate says
“The consulate general in Los Angeles reminds students studying abroad to raise their security awareness, pay attention to the risks they may encounter when entering or leaving the country, take precautions and respond properly,” the consulate said in a statement on Friday.
According to the consulate, a number of Chinese students were questioned repeatedly by border agents at Los Angeles International Airport about the purpose of their study in the United States, their past academic performance, their previous employers, their disciplinary records, and whether they had “plagiarised” laboratory data.
Some were threatened, intimidated and even had their freedom restricted for hours, and eventually refused entry and repatriated to China, it said.
In some cases, Chinese students were interrogated by US law enforcement officials and had their personal electronic devices confiscated when they left the country, the statement said.
The consulate said it had made “solemn representations” to the US side, urging it to “correct its mistake and stop using various excuses to impose unwarranted restrictions on Chinese students”.