President Donald Trump's administration announced that it will intensively revoke visas for Chinese students in the United States, especially those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or who are studying in areas considered strategic or sensitive.
This was confirmed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also announced a review of visa criteria to intensify the scrutiny of future applications from China and Hong Kong.
This tightening of immigration policies comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing, marked by a trade war intensified by imbalances in the trade balance with China and the widespread deterioration of bilateral relations. Added to this are concerns from the U.S. government about intellectual property theft and technological espionage.
La medida fue anunciada por el secretario de Estado, Marco Rubio
In 2023, it was estimated that around 280,000 Chinese students were enrolled in U.S. universities, although it is unclear how many could be affected by the new measures.
China replied, stating that "it firmly opposes" these actions and called on the United States to adopt a more constructive attitude in its bilateral relations.
As part of the plan, Rubio also instructed U.S. embassies worldwide to suspend new appointments for student visas, in preparation for an expansion of social media screening for applicants. This measure was also rejected by Chinese authorities.
The decision has caused deep concern among Chinese students. Some expressed regret for having chosen to study in the United States.
China expresó su oposición a la medida
The Trump administration had already frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for educational institutions for promoting dangerous radical ideologies and for not adequately combating antisemitism on their campuses.
These restrictions are part of a broader set of immigration policies promoted by Trump, which include the deportation of dangerous foreign students and the review of thousands of visas, with the intention of protecting national security and the integrity of U.S. institutions.
The deterioration of Sino-U.S. relations, accelerated since the pandemic, has contributed to the reduction in the number of Chinese students in the United States in recent years. The current policy deepens that trend and generates uncertainty in both the academic and diplomatic spheres.
La medida se extiende a peligrosos estudiantes con vínculos terroristas
