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The Chinese government has expressed profound distress following the tragic death of a Chinese postdoctoral scholar in the United States. Beijing has pointed to the incident as a critical reason to review the treatment of its academic community abroad, linking the tragedy to aggressive tactics used by American law enforcement.
In a post on X, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed the incident, stating, "The heartbreaking death of a Chinese postdoctoral scholar, who took his own life after being subjected to hostile questioning by U.S. law enforcement personnel, calls into question once again the impact and legitimacy of unwarranted U.S. interrogation and harassment targeting Chinese researchers and students." https://x.com/MFA_China/status/2037463728443265345?s=20 The spokesperson further noted that China has consistently voiced its opposition to these "so-called law enforcement actions." Beijing maintains that such practices severely infringe upon the lawful rights of Chinese citizens and serve to "poison the atmosphere" for bilateral exchanges, while creating a "serious chilling effect" within the international research community. Demanding accountability and a change in policy, the Chinese side has called for a comprehensive review of the case. "China calls on the U.S. to carry out a full investigation, give the family of the victim and the Chinese side a responsible explanation, and stop discriminatory enforcement against Chinese students and scholars in the U.S.," Lin Jian added. According to a report by China Daily, Beijing has reinforced this demand by calling for an immediate cessation of all discriminatory activities directed at Chinese academic personnel. During a daily news conference on Friday, Lin Jian expressed that China is deeply saddened by the tragic incident and has formally lodged a protest with the US. He noted that Chinese diplomatic missions were quick to contact the researcher's family and are currently providing assistance in managing the situation. As highlighted by China Daily, the spokesperson insisted that Washington must provide a responsible account to the researcher's family and Beijing. Furthermore, he urged the US authorities to stop imposing "wrongful convictions" on Chinese nationals, asserting that, for a considerable period, the US has overstretched the concept of national security as a tool for political manipulation. He stated that American officials have groundlessly interrogated and harassed Chinese academic personnel, which has led to a significant diplomatic rift. According to China Daily, these actions are seen as a direct infringement on the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens. Lin added that such tactics disrupt the atmosphere of people-to-people exchanges between the two nations and have resulted in a grave "chilling effect" across the academic community. The ministry concluded by reaffirming its commitment to its citizens abroad. As reported by China Daily, Lin declared that China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens in the face of such challenges. (ANI)
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