US to Aggressively Revoke Visas of Chinese Students Amid Growing Tensions
The United States government has announced plans to “aggressively revoke” visas of Chinese students studying in the country, escalating its crackdown on foreign nationals enrolled at American universities, as per Al Jazeera.
The move, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Rubio revealed the policy in a post on X and an official State Department statement titled “New Visa Policies Put America First, Not China.” The statement emphasized that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the US would work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to revoke visas for Chinese students, especially those connected to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in sensitive fields. The policy will also increase scrutiny of future visa applications from China and Hong Kong.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the announcement, describing it as a serious violation of Chinese students’ rights. Spokesperson Mao Ning criticized the US for using ideology and national security as a pretext to cancel visas, calling the move politically motivated and discriminatory.
“This practice has exposed the lies of the so-called freedom and openness the US promotes and damaged America’s international reputation,” Mao said.
China remains the second-largest source of international students in the US, trailing only India, with over 270,000 Chinese students enrolled during the 2023–2024 academic year. Many of these students come from elite backgrounds and may have some association with the Communist Party, though this does not necessarily imply party membership, according to Al Jazeera’s Beijing correspondent Katrina Yu.
The visa crackdown occurs amid ongoing US-China tensions that intensified after Trump’s accusations that China exploited the US through unfair trade practices, leading to a tariff war. Congressional Republicans have also expressed concerns over academic partnerships between US and Chinese institutions, fearing they could facilitate the transfer of sensitive technology to China’s military-industrial complex.
Earlier this month, lawmakers from Michigan urged Duke University to sever ties with Wuhan University over such national security concerns.
The crackdown is part of a broader Trump administration campaign targeting higher education. The White House recently suspended visa processing for foreign students temporarily and plans to expand social media vetting for all visa applications. Last week, the administration moved to revoke Harvard University’s authorization to enroll international students—a decision currently blocked by a federal judge amid controversies over protests and diversity programs on campus.
Additionally, hundreds of education visas have been rescinded over alleged minor legal violations or political activism, including participation in pro-Palestine and anti-Gaza war protests. The administration accuses some students of promoting anti-Semitism on campuses, allegations that students and activists strongly deny.
