“As many as 30 Chinese professors in the social sciences, heads of academic institutes and experts who help explain government policies have had their visas to the United States canceled in the past year, or put on administrative review,” The New York Times reported Sunday.

These people are representative of those who know the US the best among Chinese scholars. Most of them hold a friendly attitude toward the US and have contributed to promoting mutual understanding between people from the two sides as well as a healthy relationship between Beijing and Washington. Barring them from visiting the US is puzzling the entire Chinese academic circle.

It was reported long ago that the US has been tightening visa procedures on Chinese as a counterintelligence move. Researchers and students focusing on high-tech sectors have faced difficulties going to the US. But what intelligence threat can scholars of social sciences pose to the US?

Washington’s confidence in handling China-US ties has been severely shattered. Hostility toward China among US elites is rising.

The US used to be full of confidence in its engagement policy toward China, no matter in the political, military, economic or cultural field. It was at that time China who showed hesitation in the face of contact with the US.

The situation has now gradually reversed. More applications from Chinese people for a US visa are rejected than the number of US citizens who are denied a Chinese visa. The US has often called off China-US military exchanges.

But the US is much stronger than China in general. Its vigilance against China is nothing like what a super power is supposed to be. It seems the US system has made Washington difficult to deal with the extensive and complicated relations with China. The US is simplifying the bilateral relationship into one during the Cold War that was more familiar to it. But since the China-US relationship is not a Cold War type, there is unprecedented strategic confusion in Washington’s China policy. Dealing with China the wrong way is destined to cause more losses to US national interests.

There is the world’s largest bilateral trade between China and the US. Every week, more than 300 flights shuttle between the two countries.  Hollywood movies now have focused more on Chinese audiences, and American universities hope to support their prosperity by attracting more Chinese students. How can such two countries start a new cold war?

“The USA” translates into “a beautiful country” in Chinese. However, with it becoming suspicious, sensitive and unreasonable, the country has looked uglier with poor performances.

Perhaps it’s because the US has gone too smoothly in the past century – it won both the hot wars and cold war. Washington now cannot even bear normal competition. It has lost the courage to have legitimate competition, but wants to avoid competition using unhealthy means.

No matter how petty-minded the US becomes, we sincerely hope the Chinese government will keep opening-up. Being open will bring more strategic gains than being suspicious.