The student group Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) operates around 200 chapters at U.S. colleges, raising concerns about U.S. national security.
U.S. lawmakers said the group is actively advancing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s interests through “harmful and disruptive activities that chill free expression, undermine academic freedom, and raise serious national security concerns.”
They have documented that the CCP funds initiatives for the CSSA.
U.S. lawmakers also said the group is used to monitor, control, manipulate, and direct Chinese students abroad, insisting the CCP’s exploitation of America’s openness must come to an end.
Chairman of the U.S. Committees on education, foreign affairs, and China-related policy, are asking the U.S. State Department to designate the group as a foreign mission.
If designated, CSSA chapters would need to first get the government’s approval to hold public events in the U.S.
In a now-deleted post, University of Pittsburgh CSSA said it was given six thousand dollars every year.
A former CSSA treasurer and vice president from Northwestern University told the Epoch Times, “They give the money and you do the work. It’s just that simple.”
During the 2023 U.S.-China summit, CSSA members gathered to welcome Chinese leader Xi Jinping, describing it as a glorious mission.
Chinese officials often appear at CSSA events and have encouraged attendees to tell China’s story well.
The lawmakers said the designations do not even begin to scratch the surface of the CCP’s influence and intelligence networks.
Around 22 Chinese entities have been designated as foreign missions as of 2024.
