Four years ago, a Chinese doctor named Zhao Panshu renounced his Chinese citizenship and vowed allegiance to "great America." The scientist, who studied in the United States and earned a doctorate, tried to join the US Army Reserve by participating in the "MAVNI" project in order to obtain American citizenship. However, the reality is far more cruel than he imagined. After nearly two years of waiting, Zhao's application for U.S. citizenship was denied. What was once a blind worship of the United States has now made him a ridiculous situation with two empty doors. So, what will happen to this delusional Chinese doctor today? Is he still obsessively pursuing the American dream?
1. Zhao Panshu: Born in China and admired the United States
Zhao Panshu, a loud and powerful Chinese name, gives people a sense of contradiction. He was born in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, and his family was never embarrassed. Since childhood, he has been excellent in character and learning, and has shown extraordinary talent. When he was in junior high school, he developed a strong interest in Western science and civilization, and with the support of his family, he read books about invention voraciously.
When he was a teenager, Zhao Panshu set his sights on the distant United States of America. In front of the television set back then, he was always attracted by the high-rise buildings and amusement parks, and yearned for slogans such as "freedom, democracy, and the rule of law". He once lamented in his diary: "No country can be freer and more advanced than the United States." It seems that, in his eyes, the United States is the ideal place.
Zhao Panshu's study journey also confirmed his love for the United States. He was admitted to Nanjing University with excellent grades to study physics. During his college years, he often looked up materials about the United States in the library and knew everything about life and culture there. After graduating, he decisively chose to study in the United States.
In 2009, with the expectation of the "American dream", Zhao Panshu stepped on a special plane to the United States. At Texas A&M University in Ohio, he earned a master's degree in physics and then began a long doctoral program. During this period, he was amazed by the school's state-of-the-art equipment and teaching philosophy, and was full of praise for the various grants provided by the U.S. government.
In this way, in the good environment of the United States, Zhao Panshu received the best quality education and lived his ideal life. He always said to the people around him: "If there is a chance to choose again, I will still choose the United States without hesitation!" It seems that he has come to see the United States as his second home.
2. Join "MAVNI" to brew dreams
In 2016, Zhao Panshu received his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, and his life reached a new crossroads. With an excellent Ph.D. in physics, Zhao could have chosen to continue his academic research or find a decent job in the United States. However, he made a surprising decision: to renounce his Chinese citizenship and join the American army.
At that time, the U.S. Army enacted a special recruitment program called "MAVNI" (Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest), which allowed foreign nationals with special skills to join the U.S. military. In return, they will receive U.S. citizenship. For someone like Zhao Panshu who is eager to embrace the "American Dream", this is undoubtedly a great opportunity.
Soon, Zhao Panshu took the initiative to apply to join this program. He said he has a wealth of scientific and technical knowledge and is able to make significant contributions to the U.S. military. At the same time, he also admitted that the biggest motivation is to obtain American citizenship. In Zhao Panshu's view, becoming a qualified American citizen is the ultimate goal he has pursued for many years.
Thankfully, Zhao's application was quickly approved. In September 2016, he officially joined the U.S. Army Reserve Corps and began a 10-week basic training. Despite the extremely difficult training, Zhao Panshu was passionate about American military life. He often gave his best on the training ground, and even the instructors applauded him for his hard work.
"I've been waiting for this day for too long!" Zhao Panshu told his comrades-in-arms, "It is my lifelong dream to be able to serve the great United States. I will definitely do my best to let the motherland see my loyalty. "
There is no doubt that in Zhao Panshu's eyes, being able to obtain American citizenship means a dream come true. He has long looked down on his homeland, and instead regards the United States as his "motherland." For this, he is willing to pay any price. However, at this moment, a major blow suddenly fell on Zhao Panshu.
3. The dilemma of nationality is confusing
Just when Zhao Panshu began the training of the U.S. military with great anticipation, a sudden major change completely changed the trajectory of his life. In December 2016, then-US President Barack Obama signed an executive order suspending the MAVNI program due to national security concerns. This decision has clouded the dreams of countless foreign soldiers of American citizenship.
For Zhao Panshu, this is simply a bolt from the blue. He originally thought that he would be able to obtain the American citizenship he wanted by passing basic training. Now, however, he is not only facing a training hiatus, but is also likely to be forced to leave the United States and resume his wandering career.
At this time, Zhao Panshu was full of contradictions in his heart. On the one hand, he has long embraced American culture as his "motherland". For this reason, he even did not hesitate to give up his Chinese nationality in order to obtain American citizenship. On the other hand, he is now at risk of being kicked out of the country by the U.S. government, which makes him extremely distressed and angry.
Despite this, Zhao Panshu did not give up. He was determined to obtain U.S. citizenship through all legal means. First of all, he chose to remain in the US military in order to wait for the day when the "MAVNI" program will be reopened. At the same time, he also expressed his heart in major media, hoping to use the power of public opinion to fight for justice for himself.
"I've been living in the U.S. for eight years and it's like my second home." Zhao Panshu said in an interview, "I love this land from the bottom of my heart and am willing to make all contributions to it." I am confident that I will be an honorable American citizen. "
Zhao Panshu's determination did win some sympathy. Some rights groups have pledged to do their best to help the stranded foreign soldiers in their quest for long-term residency and citizenship. But at the same time, many people are puzzled by the practices of Zhao Panshu and others, thinking that they "forget their ancestors and are mercenary".
Fourth, the road to naturalization is arduous
In the face of the suspension of the "MAVNI" program, Zhao Panshu did not give up. Instead, he was determined to pursue U.S. citizenship through all legal means. In the days that followed, he worked hard to try to change his situation.
First, Zhao Panshu joined a non-governmental organization called "Asian American Soldiers" and soon became a core member of it. The organization's mission is to defend the rights of foreign soldiers who have been stranded by the suspension of the "MAVNI" program.
As one of the central figures, Zhao Panshu often attended rallies in various places, calling on the government to restart the program. He often gave impassioned speeches like this: "We are loyal American patriots, and we love this land and desire to contribute to it." We will never give up lightly, and we must fight for our due rights!"
Zhao Panshu's voice quickly attracted the attention of some congressmen. In 2017, they formally submitted a proposal to the government to restart "MAVNI", but it was ultimately rejected on the grounds that "national security cannot be guaranteed".
In this regard, Zhao Panshu was not discouraged. Instead, he decided to take a more radical approach: to put pressure on the government by lobbying Congress. He campaigned to persuade more members of Congress to support his claims. At the same time, he has gone viral on social media, calling himself a "scientist who has made significant contributions to the United States" and calling attention to his plight.
Zhao Panshu's practice soon attracted widespread attention from public opinion. Some prominent commentators have criticized his actions, arguing that he "completely denied his national and national identity" and that "he should not put his personal interests above anything else." But Zhao Panshu seemed to be deaf to this, he still insisted on his own proposition, and never stopped halfway.
It was not until 2018 that the U.S. government, under pressure from many parties, finally agreed to restart the "MAVNI" program, allowing some foreign soldiers to reapply for naturalization. For Zhao Panshu, this is undoubtedly excellent news. He couldn't wait to submit his application for naturalization and secretly rejoiced that he would be able to get it approved as soon as possible.
5. Where is the destiny going?
Although Zhao Panshu made great efforts to obtain American citizenship, his fate did not come true. At the end of 2018, after nearly two years of waiting, his application for naturalization was finally approved: it was denied.
This result was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Zhao Panshu. He never imagined that he had experienced such twists and turns that he would not even be eligible for naturalization. Seeing that his companions around him had obtained American citizenship one after another, Zhao Panshu could only helplessly watch them leave.
In the face of this blow, Zhao Panshu did not give up. He once again pinned his hopes on the power of public opinion, and ran around appealing, hoping to change his situation by exerting pressure. But even so, there has been no official sign of support. Zhao Panshu's efforts were nothing less than a futile effort.
In this way, Zhao Panshu fell into a predicament again. As a foreign national, he is no longer able to reside in the United States; And giving up American citizenship and returning to China seems to be a point of no return. As a result, he could only stay in the United States temporarily, hoping to continue to seek opportunities to defend his rights.
At the same time, Zhao Panshu also began to speak out wildly on social media, calling on more people to pay attention to his situation. He describes himself as a "scientist who has made significant contributions to the United States" and claims that his contributions have been ignored and ignored by the authorities. But soon, some truths were exposed: Zhao Panshu did not have any major scientific research achievements during his time in the United States. The reason why he was denied citizenship was solely due to the fact that he did not pass the personal background check.
For a time, there were endless voices of condemnation and criticism of Zhao Panshu on the Internet. Many people condemned him for "forgetting his ancestors, forgetting his roots and losing his ancestors" and "being unscrupulous for his own selfish interests". Some of those who had supported him in the past have also turned to criticize what he has done.