US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the Trump administration will “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” marking another blow to international students and intensifying the confrontation between the president and higher education institutions.
The move also marks another escalation in the deteriorating relations between the two powers, as their long-standing academic exchanges have been affected by the ongoing trade and technological wars.
The Trump administration has intensified efforts to increase deportations and cancel student visas, advancing its strict immigration policies.
The surprise announcement also risks apparent attempts by the US and China to de-escalate tensions as it comes just weeks after Washington and Beijing declared a 90-day truce over punishing tariffs on each other’s goods.
Rubio said, in a statement on Wednesday, that the move would include “those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.”
“We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong,” he added.
Rubio’s remarks follow recent actions by the administration that may deter foreign students from attending US universities.
According to a CNN report on Tuesday, the State Department has instructed embassies to temporarily suspend new student visa appointments while expanding social media screening.
Additionally, last week, the Trump administration stripped Harvard of its authorization to admit international students, though a federal judge later blocked the decision.
China’s foreign ministry previously vowed to “firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests” of its students overseas, following the Trump administration’s move to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign students, many of whom are Chinese.
According to the US Department of Commerce, international students—with those from India and China making up 54% of the total—added over $50 billion to the US economy in 2023.
American colleges heavily depend on international students financially, as these scholars typically pay substantially higher tuition rates than domestic students.
Increasing visa restrictions have prompted more Chinese students to choose European universities, while a growing number of graduates are now returning to China to pursue their careers.
The Trump administration has also frozen hundreds of millions in university funding, with the US president condemning elite institutions such as Harvard for what he perceives as excessive liberalism and insufficient action against what he calls “anti-Semitic” incidents at their schools.