File photo: Xinhua

China said the US government’s crackdown on its researchers is “absurd” and “irrational”, following reports that over 1,000 Chinese researchers have left the US amid a crackdown this summer on alleged technology theft.

“The claim by US official is absurd,” said Hua Chunying, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, on Tuesday. Her remarks referred to the statement by John Demers, the US Justice Department's top national security official on Wednesday.

The two countries’ cooperation in science and culture has suffered a significant setback, said Hua, describing the US government agencies’ move against the alleged espionage is irrational political persecution.

The US has been stepping up the suppression of Chinese students and scholars in America in recent months. Beside the exodus of Chinese researchers, the State Department announced in September that it had revoked the visas of over 1,000 Chinese nationals over security concerns.