“In China, the government can control education, high schools, colleges, universities. We thought that the USA could be different," one student said.
Chinese students say they’re questioning their decision to study in the U.S. after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the federal government will attempt to “aggressively” revoke their visas.
Rubio said Wednesday that Chinese students “with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields” would be targeted.
Chinese students who spoke to NBC News on Thursday said that they came to the U.S. for freedoms they felt they did not have back in China but that now the Trump administration is starting to resemble the strict regime they left behind.
Let say, EU is at 90/100 in terms of freedom
PRC is at 5/100
North Kora is at 0/100
Where do you think the USA is?
If you ask me in 2015, probably 70/100
After 2017-2021 it’s at 50/100
Now its something like 10/100
Saying the “USA is far from becoming China” feel like saying “China is far from becoming North Korea”.
Like, imagine saying to Chinese dissidents “Hey at least your country isn’t as bad as [Another terrible country]”
Like… dude… its that whole “Stop complaining, ‘there are starving children in Africa’” thing again. You’re invalidating other’s fears which is why people on the thread doesn’t like it.
Your focus should’ve been “China is not exactly better”, not “The USA is still better than China”. Which just have different implications. In the former statement, you are attacking PRC, which everyone here would agree. In the latter, you would sound like you’re defending the US, which is why people won’t like it. Your statements are in the latter category.
Where do you think China is on your scale? Oh yes…5/100
US is 10/100…
US > PRC
Again, telling Chinese dissidents: “At least your country is better than North Korea” is just dismissive of their struggles.
I never said that and I recognize and I sympathize with their struggle. The Chinese people are fine, the PRC is not.
I said the US is better than China. By what degree better is up for argument, sure. The reason the students are protesting here in the US and being heard, and being discussed on the news and openly here online, is because you and I (and everyone else) aren’t in fear that the government will drop police at our door because of this conversation.
I am all for open public debate and discourse, downvotes and all because it’s our right to be heard. It doesn’t matter where, EU, US, or China.
In the US, I have options on what to do if I feel the government isn’t doing the right thing. (Even moving to the EU). You can’t say that if you were a citizien living in China.