The United States should stop overstretching the concept of national security, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday, urging it to refrain from harming the rights of Chinese students.

Mao made the remarks at a regular news conference, after a US House committee said its chairman sent a letter to presidents of six American universities on Wednesday, requesting information on their policies and practices regarding the enrollment of Chinese national students in advanced STEM programs.

John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, accused China of "embedding" researchers in leading US institutions, "providing them direct exposure to sensitive technologies with dual-use military applications".

Dismissing Moolenaar's remarks, Mao said China-US educational cooperation has enhanced mutual understanding between people on both sides and facilitated the US' economic prosperity and technological development.

Noting that students from China account for about one fourth of the total number of international students in the US, Mao said such cooperation is in line with the interests of both countries.

The US should protect the legitimate and lawful rights of Chinese students effectively, and must not adopt discriminatory or limiting measures against them, Mao also said.