After discovering that the military could offer faster naturalisation and scholarships, Meng decided to enlist first and notify her parents later. Her parents reportedly were worried that their daughter would be sent immediately to a combat zone, but have since calmed down after repeated explanations from Meng.

Another woman named Wei Wei who was preparing to undergo her final military fitness examinations said that her parents planned to retire in the United States, and she had decided to come first and hopefully obtain a green card through an army career. Wei said that applying for a work visa in the States often took a long time and held no guarantee for employees who were unexpectedly laid off – in contrast, the army was “the best insurance” in her eyes, since army participants who engaged in vocational training could obtain a vocational certificate, giving them the chance to potentially work or set up their own business in the future.

Other women interviewed by World Journal said that aside from naturalisation, their decision to join the military was based on a desire to become more confident, hard-working and to reduce the financial burden on their parents.

Participants in the programme must have resided in the US legally for at least two years. After enlisting, they are allowed to apply for green cards without first obtaining permanent resident status, although citizenship is not guaranteed.

Chinese online reaction to news of the World Journal report and the MAVNI programme was mixed. Some praised America’s military for offering such an opportunity, but others called the women “traitors” for enlisting in a foreign army.

“America’s military gospel has come,” one Weibo user mused. “Is this going to cause a massive flow of our countrymen into the US army?”

Another commentator said she was not surprised that Chinese people would join the military for faster US citizenship.

“Chinese people are shrewd,” she said. “They can always sniff out the path that’s most advantageous to them.”