ACTING HEAD OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, CHAD WOLF, WASHINGTON WAS BLOCKING VISAS “FOR CERTAIN CHINESE GRADUATE STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS WITH TIES TO CHINA’S MILITARY FUSION STRATEGY TO PREVENT THEM FROM STEALING AND OTHERWISE APPROPRIATING SENSITIVE RESEARCH

IN A SPEECH, WOLF REPEATED U.S. CHARGES OF UNJUST BUSINESS PRACTICES AND INDUSTRIAL ESPIONAGE BY CHINA, INCLUDING ATTEMPTS TO STEAL CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH, AND ACCUSED IT OF ABUSING STUDENT VISAS TO EXPLOIT AMERICAN ACADEMIA.

THE US STATE DEPARTMENT ALSO SAID THE VISA ACTION FOLLOWED A MAY 29 PROCLAMATION BY PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AS PART OF THE U.S. RESPONSE TO CHINA’S CURBS ON DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG.