WASHINGTON – The United States on Thursday announced a sweeping policy change targeting Chinese students, with plans to cancel the visas of those linked to the Chinese Communist Party and others studying in sensitive academic fields.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the decision, stating that the government would begin revoking visas of Chinese nationals whose academic pursuits or affiliations are deemed to pose a potential threat to national security.
“We will cancel the visas of students associated with the Chinese Communist Party, including those studying in strategically important sectors,” said Rubio.
The US State Department has also announced revisions to its visa criteria for Chinese applicants. Under the new guidelines, all visa applications from mainland China and Hong Kong will undergo enhanced scrutiny.
The development follows a recent directive from the Trump administration instructing US embassies to suspend scheduling new visa appointments for students. The pause comes as part of an initiative to expand background checks, including a more in-depth review of applicants’ social media activity.
While appointments already scheduled will proceed as planned, all future applications will be subject to the updated screening measures.
In a separate move intensifying US-China tensions, the administration has also imposed new restrictions on American companies, barring them from selling products to Chinese firms.
The visa crackdown and trade restrictions mark another chapter in the increasingly strained relations between the world’s two largest economies, with implications for international education, global trade, and diplomatic ties.
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