Dutch Government to Screen Foreign PhD Tech Students

The Netherlands is considering legislation to screen foreign students who plan to study in technical fields for possible security risks, a spokesperson for the Education Ministry said on Monday.

Such a screen would be the latest in a string of moves taken by universities and government to restrict access to Dutch technology for Chinese students and companies.

But the ministry said the new rules would govern all students arriving from outside the European Union, not just Chinese.

The Dutch intelligence agency AIVD in April warned that Dutch universities are an “attractive target” for spying and that China is the largest threat.

Dutch universities have already begun rejecting Chinese students that receive a scholarship from the China Scholarship Council.

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