Are the doors to German universities closing for China’s STEM researchers?
Por Cao Jiaxuan — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement China-Germany relations China Diplomacy Are the doors to German universities closing for China’s STEM researchers?
As Berlin pursues de-risking, hundreds of visa applicants in China are rejected each year, an investigation finds
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Cao Jiaxuan in Beijing Published: 10:00pm, 18 Sep 2026
Chinese AI researcher “Joy” waited more than seven months to hear that his visa application for Germany had been rejected.
The 30-year-old had been offered a postdoctoral position at a German technical university but the rejection letter said there was an Ausweisungsinteresse, or public interest in denying him entry.
Citing Section 53 of Germany’s Residence Act, the letter said that for applications involving “study, research and similar employment”, particular attention had to be paid to the possibility that knowledge acquired in Germany could be misused in ways that harmed protected legal interests or other significant German interests.
The letter did not specify which aspect of his research, personal background or application materials amounted to a security risk. And Joy said he was not contacted by German authorities about his research, education or work history during the months of waiting.
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