NASA has started preventing Chinese nationals with valid visas from participating in its programs due to security concerns, reports suggest.
This action, which the agency claims is a security necessity, also highlights the growing space race between the U.S. and China.
The policy shift, initially reported by Bloomberg News, was confirmed by NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens on Wednesday, September 10.
In a statement, Stevens said, “NASA has taken internal action pertaining to Chinese nationals, including restricting physical and cybersecurity access to our facilities, materials, and network to ensure the security of our work.”
According to a Bloomberg report, the policy took effect on September 5.
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