Chinese Students and Scholars Association

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) (Chinese: 中国学生学者联合(谊)会; pinyin: zhōngguó xuéshēng xuézhě liánhé (liányí) huì) is the official organization for overseas Chinese students and scholars registered in most colleges and universities outside of the People's Republic of China. The associations in different institutions share a common name. The stated function of CSSAs is helping overseas Chinese in their life, study, work, and other issues, bringing Chinese students together on campus, serving as a bridge between Chinese and other communities, and promoting Chinese culture. The groups typically host events such as annual Chinese New Year galas, holiday celebrations, academic forums and talent recruitment competitions tied to the Thousand Talents Plan.[1][2][3]

Journalists and human rights groups have described CSSAs as government-organized non-governmental organizations used to surveil and report on Chinese students abroad.[4][5] According to the United States Department of State, "the CCP created the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) to monitor Chinese students and mobilize them against views that dissent from the CCP’s stance."[6]

The CSSA started in the late 1970s when China started sending students to study overseas. In August 1989, representatives from over 200 CSSAs gathered in the University of Illinois at Chicago for the First Congress of Chinese Students and Scholars, established their national association as the now-defunct Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars (IFCSS) as a response to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.[7][8]

  1. ^ Joske, Alex (August 20, 2020). "Hunting the Phoenix: The Chinese Communist Party's global search for technology and talent". Australian Strategic Policy Institute. JSTOR resrep26119. Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "CSSAs in USA". The Office of Educational Affairs of the Embassy of P.R.China in USA. Archived from the original on September 18, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference FP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Rotella, Sebastian (November 30, 2021). "Even on U.S. Campuses, China Cracks Down on Students Who Speak Out". ProPublica. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  5. ^ Sotoudeh, Nazpari; Stefano, Erica (September 29, 2021). "Free speech risky as China keeps close tabs on its overseas students". Eurasianet. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  6. ^ "The Chinese Communist Party on Campus: Opportunities & Risks" (PDF). United States Department of State. September 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  7. ^ Yen, Marianne (July 31, 1989). "Chinese Students in U.S. Call for Regime's Ouster". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Schmidt, William E. (July 29, 1989). "Chinese in U.S. Urged to Stay Abroad". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.