Yurong Luanna Jiang, a Chinese graduate, delivered a speech at Harvard University’s commencement on May 29 that drew both praise and criticism in the US and China.
Her speech called for unity in a divided world, coming shortly after the US government announced plans to “aggressively” revoke visas for Chinese students.
Jiang, the first Chinese woman to speak at a Harvard graduation, studied international development. She spent her final two school years in the UK before earning her undergraduate degree at Duke University.
In her speech, she highlighted Harvard’s diverse international community and urged people to see the humanity in those they might label as enemies.
The speech went viral on Chinese social media, where some praised her message and others criticized her elite background as unrepresentative. Some sarcastically suggested she remain in the US instead of returning to China.
In the US, conservative critics raised concerns about Jiang’s alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
They accused Harvard of choosing a speaker connected to CCP-linked organizations, pointing to claims about her father’s role in a non-government group described as a quasi-diplomatic agent. These claims have not been independently verified.
Harvard enrolls about 6,800 international students, over 27% of its total, with roughly one-third from China and more than 700 from India.
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