In just two months, Yale graduate Edward Kuperman went from being praised by Chinese state media to being bombarded by public accusations that he was a spy. It began with a June 18 article from state news agency Xinhua, in which he was described as an eager 24-year-old sinophile who made the unconventional choice of spurning China’s eastern metropolises to live in Dunhuang, an oasis in the country’s northwestern Gansu province. His interest in China started with a Chinese language class in...

International students once saw US colleges as a gateway to a world-class education and career head start but shifting United States immigration policies, tightening visa conditions and high-profile ICE raids are causing them to reconsider. In the first in our series, Phoebe Zhang looks at how Chinese students are preparing for life – and safety – in America. The second instalment in our series is here. Beijing student Lulu Lu was just preparing for bed when she was startled by loud banging at...