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World's Whirl with Gree's Chairwoman's Controversial Remarks
Beijing, May 2 - A group of Chinese entrepreneurs have taken a firm stand against Dong Mingzhu, chairman of Gree Group, after her controversial remarks questioned the loyalty of overseas-educated professionals.
Dubbed as China's "home appliance queen," Dong made the inflammatory comments at a private shareholders meeting, suggesting her company wouldn't employ anyone from the "haigui pai," or those educated abroad, due to potential security risks [1][4][5].
"A spy might be among them," she cautioned, sparking a public outcry [2][3][5].
On Monday, the Shanxi Returnees' Chamber of Commerce, a group of ambitious entrepreneurs back from overseas, publicly criticized Dong for her unfounded claim. They urged her to apologize and correct her prejudiced views towards returnees [2][3][5].
"Dong's baseless suspicions slander the entire pool of returnees, lacking any concrete evidence and imposing a biased prejudice," they stated.
The society emphasized the crucial role returnees play in China's development, citing President Xi Jinping's 2013 endorsment of overseas-trained professionals as "precious resources" for the country's technological advancement [2][3][5].
"As enthusiastic patriots, we are ready to support our motherland's development and prove the absurdity of her remarks through our concrete actions," the group concluded.
Gree Group has yet to respond to a request for comment.
This controversy has re-ignited discussions surrounding the role and trustworthiness of returnee talent, also known as "haigui," amid growing geopolitical tensions with the West [3][5].
Since 1978, China has sent over eight million students abroad, mostly to the US, UK, and Singapore. Around six million of them have returned to contribute to their homeland [3]. However, increasing skepticism around cross-border connections has emerged in recent years.
In 2023, China's Ministry of State Security warned students planning to study abroad about the risk of foreign intelligence recruitment [3]. Additionally, Chinese students and scientists working in the US have faced spying allegations, particularly as U.S.-China tensions escalate and congress attempts to restrict academic and technological exchange with China [3].
A Glimpse into the Debate:The controversy revolves around Gree Electric chairwoman Dong Mingzhu's claim that her company refrains from hiring Chinese professionals who have been educated abroad due to espionage concerns [1][4][5]. This sparked widespread backlash from returnee groups and legal experts.
- Dong's Remarks: At a closed-door shareholders meeting, Dong argued against hiring returnees due to security concerns related to R&D and military-linked business segments [1][4][5].
- Returnee Backlash: The Shanxi Returnees' Chamber of Commerce slammed her comments as unsubstantiated, demanding an apology and policy amendments, emphasizing returnees' value in China's development [2][3][5].
- Legal Criticism: Legal scholar Zhou Dawei accused Dong of violating anti-discrimination clauses in China's Employment Promotion Law, stressing that labeling returnees as potential spies is actionable [3][5].
- Media Response: Official outlets like Xinmin Evening News criticized the remarks as stereotyping, while public sentiment split between security concerns and fears of talent exclusion [3][5].
This dispute underscores wider tensions over globalization's impact on China's tech and business sectors amid escalating U.S.-China rivalry and heightened national security scrutiny.
- The controversy surrounding Gree Electric's chairman, Dong Mingzhu, has ignited discussions about the role and trustworthiness of "returnees" – overseas-educated professionals – in China's government, finance, business, and technology sectors.
- The Shanxi Returnees' Chamber of Commerce, a group of ambitious entrepreneurs back from overseas, has publicly criticized Dong for her unfounded claims and urged her to apologize for her prejudiced views towards returnees.
- Dong's allegations, made at a private shareholders meeting, suggested that her company wouldn't employ anyone from the "haigui pai," or those educated abroad, due to potential spying and security risks.
- Legal experts have argued that Dong's remarks violate anti-discrimination clauses in China's Employment Promotion Law, stressing that labeling returnees as potential spies is actionable.
- Increasing geopolitical tensions with the West have led to concerns about foreign intelligence recruitment for Chinese students planning to study abroad, as seen in the 2023 warning issued by China's Ministry of State Security.
- Chinese students and scientists working in the US have faced spying allegations in recent years, particularly as U.S.-China tensions escalate and congress attempts to restrict academic and technological exchange with China.
