亚太联盟声明：警惕针对外国学生的煽动性语言

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亚太联盟是一个非营利，无党派的草根组织，其使命是通过教育、领导力培育、和推动公民积极参与公共事务，提高美国亚裔和太平洋岛裔（API）的地位。

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SACRAMENTO, CA - Politico [1] and other news media reported that President Trump, during a dinner with a number of CEO's at his New Jersey Golf Club, implied that most Chinese students in the U.S. are spies. However, another account by CNN was considerably milder, noting that during the dinner "Trump expressed concern that some foreign students were acting as foreign agents, particularly from China, according to one of the attendees."

APAPA  strongly  agrees  with  Jill  Welch,  Association  of  International  Educators'  (NAFSA)  deputy executive  director  for  public  policy,  who  made  the  following  statement  about  what  the  president reportedly said.

"Generations  of  foreign  policy  leaders  agree  that  international  students  and  scholars  are  one  of America’s greatest foreign policy assets. Blanket generalizations about students from any country will undoubtedly make international students think twice before choosing the United States as their destination. If students, particularly from strategic regions around the world, no longer come here, America will lose the ability to build relationships with future leaders abroad and strengthen our own national security."

APAPA  is  an  American  organization.  We  do  not  condone  foreign  spies  operating  in  our  country regardless of their origin. Nevertheless we are gravely concerned such alleged statement by President Trump can be incendiary and may harm the perception and reputation of American students of Chinese descent, especially if they major in STEM disciplines.

The recent erroneous charges, such as those of Sherry Chen and Professor Xiaoxing Xi, of spying may become even more prevalent, creating havoc for innocent and loyal Chinese American citizens contributing to our country. APAPA urges caution against such inflammatory language which can lead to xenophobia and is detrimental to the well being of honest and hard working citizens who happen to be of the targeted ethnicity.

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APAPA is a non-profit, non-partisan and grassroots organization. Its mission is to empower Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Americans through education, leadership and active participation in civic and public affairs.

APAPA National Headquarters  |   www.apapa.org

[4] CNN: Over dinner, CEOs press Trump on immigration.  https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/08/politics/trump-immigration-ceos/index.html