Participants of an event hosted by a prominent group of Chinese Americans on Saturday expressed concern about the impact of U.S.-China tensions and urged the United States to stay open.
Nearly 300 leaders in science, technology, government, business, education and community affairs from the Committee of 100 (C100) convened in Silicon Valley and pointed to, among others, a heightened scrutiny of Chinese Americans and people of Chinese descent, especially those who work in science and technology.
"The U.S.-China relationship is the world's most consequential bilateral relationship," said Gary Locke, former U.S. ambassador to China and former U.S. secretary of commerce.
Citing recent cases of wrongful prosecution of Chinese Americans without due explanations, Locke said Chinese Americans as immigrants who pride themselves in their own heritage should not be racially profiled.
Susan Shirk, former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, said China and the United States have woven a dense fabric of trade, technology and education together, which formed a nexus of what became globalization.
"To preserve America's open society and vibrant research environment, we should double down on American openness, not put limitations on scientific collaboration," she added.
"We are a nation built on immigrants, and we must not allow our fears to create an environment that erodes America's talent pool nor America's values of equal opportunity for all, freedom of inquiry, scientific integrity, and openness," C100 Chairman Roger Wang said.
Thomas Rosenbaum, president of the California Institute of Technology, also underscored the importance and contribution of Chinese Americans to U.S. prosperity.
"The strength of the United States as a scientific, technological and economic power has depended crucially on immigration," he said.
As an institution of U.S. citizens of Chinese heritage that has been active for 30 years, the C100 is an influential non-profit U.S. leadership group of prominent and extraordinary Chinese Americans in business, government, academia and the arts.
The group is committed to promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in American life and constructive relations between the United States and China.
