[By Guancha Observer Network, Shao Yun]

A "global ban order" marks a significant escalation in the conflict between the Trump administration and American universities represented by Harvard University, sparking heated discussions. Lawrence Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and 27th President of Harvard University, who is usually considered an "internal dissenter" within Harvard, has also come out in strong support of his alma mater this time, publicly criticizing the policy as "tyranny".

According to Politico's website report on May 23, Summers expressed his anxiety during an interview, stating that Trump's move not only endangers Harvard's research output but will have a "devastating impact" on America's higher education industry and even the nation's image in the long run. Even at this critical juncture, the seasoned politician couldn't resist bringing up China. He worries that the "ban order" is a "strategic gift" for China and further speculates maliciously, suggesting that Chinese people must be "greatly comforted" by it.

"It’s hard to imagine any strategic gift bigger for China than the United States giving up its position as the world’s beacon and no longer attracting the most talented young people from around the globe," Summers said.

After the Trump administration announced the "global ban order", Summers criticized the action as "tyranny" in an interview. The photo shows Summers appearing on Bloomberg TV. Bloomberg TV

In his view, the "ban order" is the most serious attack on Harvard by the Trump administration so far. "If this ban is implemented, it will be devastating, not only for Harvard but also for America’s image in the world. Our universities, especially Harvard, have always been the world’s lighthouse," Summers said, adding that he believes American universities can overcome the policy challenges with their resilience, but also acknowledged that "damage has already been done."

Summers argued that banning Harvard from admitting international students not only violates U.S. law but also jeopardizes America's national competitiveness in many ways. He said first, the "ban order" would make America "poorer" because many foreign talents later become well-known entrepreneurs and business leaders in the U.S., such as Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, and Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft.

Second, Summers stated that the "ban order" would also make America "less secure," noting that "the victory of World War II was won through scientific innovations made by immigrants in American universities." He emphasized that banning the admission of international students amounts to isolating America from 97% of the global population outside the U.S., which is tantamount to "self-destruction."

"The decline of universities means damage to the nation's prosperity and reduction in new ideas – from golf tees to Sesame Street (an American children's program), from organ transplants to stem cell therapy for diabetes, many innovations from Harvard may no longer occur, and many of these owe much to the participation of foreign scholars. All of this will be threatened by such policies," Summers said.

He also mentioned that if we follow the Trump administration's mercantilist logic of "export over import," America's higher education industry should be a "positive example," exporting services to foreign students while importing very little.

"But unfortunately, the facts are not like that." Summers once again brought up the "gift" issue, saying, "There is no doubt that we are giving China a strategic gift and enhancing the competitiveness of universities in other English-speaking countries, whether it's the UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. There is no doubt that those who have had traumatic experiences at American airports in the past are unlikely to want to send their children to Harvard or other American universities in the future."

Talking about the "strategic gift," Summers, who held multiple positions at the U.S. Treasury Department, further speculated maliciously, claiming that the Chinese must be "very satisfied" to see American society contradicting itself and resisting deep scientific research. He claimed that the Chinese must feel "great comfort," even if it's just a small step toward isolationism, especially against the backdrop of America increasingly surpassing China.

However, in reality, among the foreign students admitted by Harvard, approximately one-fifth come from China, involving more than a thousand individuals. After the Trump administration issued the "global ban order," Chinese students were the first to be affected, as many were forced to change their internship or holiday plans and stay in the U.S. awaiting a solution. Students from other countries, such as India and South Korea, were also affected, reconsidering their future plans.

On April 22, 2025, local time, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Harvard University landscape. Visual China

"I think compared to other groups, the Chinese student group undoubtedly feels more targeted," Zhang, a doctoral student at Harvard, told Reuters. Another Chinese graduate student at Harvard told a U.S. media outlet, "I came here with the ideal of changing the world, but when I tried to understand the world, the world shut me out." Now, she wants to return home after graduation. Due to safety and visa considerations, neither disclosed their full names to the media.

Previously, on April 22, Homeland Security Secretary Nom declared in a statement that "admitting international students is a privilege, not a right," and this privilege has been revoked due to Harvard's repeated violations of federal laws. Nom accused Harvard of hostility towards Jewish students and expressing sympathy for the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), creating an "unsafe campus environment."

Due to the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration's demands for Harvard to eradicate so-called "anti-Semitism" and "racism," the "ban controversy" is just the latest incident. However, an Israeli student pursuing a postdoctoral degree at Harvard told a U.S. media outlet that she feels Jewish students are being used as "pawns" by the Trump administration. According to CNN's report on April 23, the student claimed that she believes the Trump administration is using Harvard to launch a fight "far beyond the scope of Harvard academia," aiming to suppress ideas that do not align with official ideologies rather than genuinely caring about the safety of Jewish and Israeli students.

Regarding the Trump administration's announcement to revoke Harvard's qualification to admit international students, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ma Ning stated on April 23 during a regular press conference that China has consistently opposed the politicization of educational cooperation. The U.S. actions will only harm America's image and international credibility. "Sino-U.S. educational cooperation is mutually beneficial," Ma Ning said, adding that China will firmly uphold the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese students and scholars.

This article is an exclusive contribution by the Observer Network; unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7508298528930677311/

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