WASHINGTON — One of the nation’s leading scientific organizations on Tuesday expressed alarm about a report that the White House is considering imposing further limits on research by Chinese citizens in the United States, saying that “scientific progress depends on openness, transparency, and the free flow of ideas.”

The statement from the American Association for the Advancement of Science followed a report in the New York Times that administration officials are discussing proposals that might limit the ability of Chinese researchers to travel to and do work in the U.S., citing “people familiar with the deliberations.” The proposal is said to be a response to fears that Chinese researchers at U.S. academic institutions may be using their positions to acquire intellectual property.