China's foreign ministry has firmly opposed America's decision to ban all Chinese student visas, calling it “irrational”. The Trump administration's decision comes amid deteriorating relations between China and the US.
According to Mao Ning, a foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing, cancelling Chinese student visas “under the pretext of ideology and national rights” was unreasonable.
“China firmly opposes this and has lodged representations with the US," he declared, as per a Reuters report.
Ning further added that Beijing now hoped that the US could do something conducive for its relations with China.
"This political and discriminatory action exposes the lies of freedom and openness that the US has consistently claimed and will only further damage the US’ international image and credibility,” he explained.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday made a shocking announcement that all Chinese student visas would be revoked by the US government.
Taking to X, he posted that Chinese student visas—especially for those connected with the Chinese Communist Party—would be revoked. He added that along with this, all Chinese students continuing their studies on critical subjects would stand revoked.
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After India, China contributes the highest number of international students in the US.
According to data published in a 2024 US State Department report, out of 1.1 million foreign students studying in the US, 277,000 were from China and 331,000 were from India.
US-China relations had already been hanging by a thread since Joe Biden's tenure. However, after the Trump administration's tariff announcement this year, the two countries saw trade tensions, which resulted in a tit-for-tat trade war, that was later de-escalated.
Amid Trump's crackdown on universities and foreign students, the US government has also been issuing stricter rules for foreign students studying in the US.
According to this, even skipping a class or dropping out of a course may cause deportation or visa cancellation.
In addition, the US has scrapped in-person interviews at embassies and consulates across the globe. The government suggested that online checks will be carried out as an alternative.
