BEIJING/WASHINGTON, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Many top U.S. universities have recently showed their opposition to U.S. government's intensified scrutiny of Chinese scholars and students, calling for normal educational and cultural exchanges.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) President L. Rafael Reif said in an email sent to the school community on Tuesday that the unfair and excessive scrutiny targeting people of Chinese descendant may "create a toxic atmosphere of unfounded suspicion and fear" and thus hurt both the world-famous research university and the United States.

In this letter, Reif voiced his worry about some circumstances painfully relevant to these MIT community members of Chinese ethnicity.

"They have been not only exemplary members of our community but exceptional contributors to American society. I am deeply troubled that they feel themselves repaid with generalized mistrust and disrespect," the MIT president said.

He warned that actions and policies such as "protracted visa delays" and "harsh rhetoric against most immigrants" are sending the message that "the U.S. is closing the door - that we no longer seek to be a magnet for the world's most driven and creative individuals."

"I believe this message is not consistent with how America has succeeded... And we should expect it to have serious long-term costs for the nation and for MIT," he concluded.

GROWING CONCERNS

Not only the MIT, some other leading U.S. universities have expressed support to international students and scholars, including those from China. They said educational and cultural exchanges between the United States and China should not be politicized and unreasonably restricted.

Peter Salovey, president of Yale University, pledged support for international students in an open letter in May, affirming the Ivy League school's "steadfast commitment" to international students and scholars and urging U.S. federal agencies to "clarify concerns they have about international academic exchanges."

He added that openness is "a key to the extraordinary success of America's great research universities" and "must remain a hallmark of Yale."

Other American universities including UC Berkeley and Harvard have also deeply concerned about the less welcoming atmosphere and called for educational openness.

In a statement released in February, UC Berkeley cautioned against unfounded accusations against Chinese-American faculty and researchers for alleged spying in academic activities.

"Comments of this sort breed hurt and distrust, discriminate against members of our community, and run counter to our well-established Principles of Community," it said.

The university reaffirmed its support for building an inclusive and open international community for people from all over the world.

President of Harvard University Lawrence Bacow said in March that maintaining and deepening exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' education and cultural institutions is crucial to promoting U.S.-China relations in the long run, and that Harvard will continue to promote exchanges and cooperation with Chinese educational and scientific research institutions.

DAMAGING IMPACT

A recent report by the U.S.-based Institute of International Education (IIE) showed U.S. colleges and universities registered more than 360,000 Chinese students in the 2017-2018 academic year, making up about a third of the international student body. China has become the largest source of international students for nine consecutive years in the United States.

According to the IIE, U.S. schools benefit from the global perspective and cultural diversity Chinese students add to campuses, as well as tuition fee they paid.

Statistics also showed that the 1,094,792 international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities contributed 39 billion dollars and supported more than 455,000 jobs during the 2017-2018 academic year.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators, a non-profit organization for professionals in all areas of international education, estimated in a recent report that the combined 10-percent decline of new international student enrollment between fall of 2016 and fall of 2017 cost the U.S. economy 5.5 billion U.S. dollars and more than 40,000 jobs.

"Dangerous policies and anti-immigrant rhetoric" have created a "chilling effect" on enrollment, as the United States is "increasingly viewed as unwelcoming" to international students and scholars, according to NAFSA.