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Comment by edderly | Hacker News Reader

I have no strong opinions on this, but for background, there are a bunch of Silicon Valley types like Eric Weinstein (Thiel Capital) who maintain that there are sinister undertones to the growing influence of Chinese immigrants in Tech and Higher Education.

https://djonesvi.medium.com/eric-weinstein-on-the-secretly-c...

Obviously that can veer into uncomfortable conclusions i.e. is it true, or is this kind of racist?

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Looking at what Peter thiel and Weinstein presented, my impression has been that they are seeing the threat as a general trend as an influence on the US way of society. Or to be precise, the type of society that enjoyed by the rich. The powerful in US are not as better off as their counterparts in China.

As a Chinese American myself, any derivation from Peter and Weinstein's argument as the basis for special treatment to Chinese immigrants, or default being suspicious stereotype, is plain racism (looking at how Chinese Americans are treated, racism seem not applicable to our group).

I mean, if the US wanted to "solve" the issue, it's pretty easy.

Offer anyone who graduates with a STEM degree from a reputable institution US citizenship... and require they if they renounce their Chinese citizenship (which happens automatically per Chinese law, but just to be sure).

I don't think it's going to dispel the scary monster because some people would argue that "They have roots in China", so maybe just get every Chinese out of the door?

> i.e. is it true, or is this kind of racist?

You say that as if it couldn't be both...

I didn't use xor :)

maybe both, but i was just reading the other day about the CCP setting up offices/groups/whatever basically everywhere. even around american colleges though its more low key. many chinese (ethnically, many are not even citizens) overseas join the party because they either worry about problems with relatives in mainland china, or some think itll help their careers, or they may think itll help grease the wheels if and when they return. a lot of them just spend hours studying speeches by xi for their club, apparently.

i think whats more worrying is that ive recently become concious of what i say about china online, and i have no connection at all to china. would it be a problem for me tomorrow? probably not, but 20 years from now? maybe.

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