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China will safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights of its students and scholars overseas, a Foreign Ministry spokesman has said.

Spokesman Lin Jian made the remarks on Thursday after reports said that the US suspended for an initial six months the entry into the country of foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University.

The US' move will only hurt its own image and international reputation, Lin said.

"Education cooperation between China and the US is mutually beneficial. The Chinese side has always opposed politicizing the cooperation," Lin said.