beijingwalker
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US-China tensions: Record number of graduates returning to China from abroad
Updated: Sep 23, 2023, 05:34 PM ISTRising tensions between the world’s two largest economies are piling miseries on Chinese nationals living overseas, who are now forced to move back home in unprecedented numbers.
A Bloomberg report has shed light on how a rising number of Chinese graduates are flocking back home due to the perception of increasing hostility towards them.
The report noted that in 2022, the number of overseas Chinese who chose to return to China rose 8.6 per cent as compared to 2021.
The percentage of students returning to their home country after studying abroad has also increased significantly, rising from 23 per cent at the beginning of the century to 82 per cent in 2019, when over 580,000 Chinese students came back to China.
US-China decoupling
As manufacturers move their production away from China, the US and its allies are restricting China's access to advanced semiconductors. Beijing is also tightening control over information flow, while Chinese executives and academics in the US face potential accusations of technology theft.The separation of the world's two largest economies is causing challenges for China's ambitious students, who are experiencing visa rejections abroad and increasing youth unemployment at home.
Many wealthy individuals in their 20s who choose to remain in China face intense scrutiny in an uncertain world. China’s actions against wealthy individuals come in response to growing wealth inequalities and declining social mobility.
What does it mean for the US?
According to Bloomberg, the return of these highly connected individuals means that the US and its allies lose valuable insights into the inner workings of the world's second-largest economy.
The lack of understanding goes both ways: Younger Chinese people have a more negative perception of America compared to their parents, except for those who have studied in the US.
The decoupling means that opportunities for building goodwill and mutual trust between Chinese and American students on campuses are decreasing.
US still top choice for Chinese students
While the US is still a top choice for Chinese students studying abroad, the number of Chinese students enrolled in the US dropped by 29 per cent in January 2023 compared to the same month in 2020.
A May report from New Oriental Education and Technology Group reveals that approximately 40 per cent of Chinese students seeking graduate education abroad now prefer countries that are more friendly towards China.
US-China tensions: Record number of graduates returning to China from abroad
Rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies are piling miseries on Chinese nationals living overseas, who are now forced to move back home in unprecedented numbers. A Bloomberg report has shed light on how a rising number of Chinese graduates are flocking back home due to the...
