[Text/Observer Network Qi Qian] Pompeo explicitly stated that he was targeting Chinese students studying in the United States.

On May 28, local time, Pompeo posted on the X platform claiming that the U.S. will begin revoking visas for Chinese students, including those "with ties to the Chinese government or studying in key areas."

On the same day, the U.S. Department of State released a statement titled "New Visa Policy Prioritizes America Over China."

In the statement, Pompeo continued to make threats: "Under President Trump's leadership, the U.S. Department of State will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke Chinese students' visas... We will also revise visa standards to strengthen scrutiny of all future visa applications from mainland China and Hong Kong."

Screenshot of the U.S. Department of State statement

Last November, the U.S. Department of State collaborated with the Institute of International Education (IIE) to release the 2024 "Open Doors" report. The report showed that during the 2023-2024 academic year, the number of international students studying at U.S. colleges exceeded 1.12 million, an increase of about 7% compared to the previous academic year, contributing over $50 billion to the U.S. economy.

India has overtaken China as the largest source of international students in the U.S. for the first time in 15 years, with approximately 332,000 students, an increase of 23%, accounting for 29.4% of the total number of international students in the U.S. Meanwhile, the number of students from mainland China is approximately 277,000, a decrease of 4.2% year-on-year.

Politico reported that the statement did not specify how many Chinese students would lose their eligibility to study in the U.S., only emphasizing two factors: "ties to the Chinese government" and "key areas."

The report pointed out that the U.S. Department of State's actions against Chinese students have exacerbated conflicts between the Trump administration and China and academia, reflecting the deteriorating geopolitical tensions between the two countries, which have poisoned long-standing educational relations between the two countries.

This is not the first time Trump has targeted Chinese students. In November 2020, during his first term, Trump signed Presidential Proclamation No. 10043 under the pretext of national security, banning certain students and scholars from obtaining visas. According to incomplete statistics by China News Service last March, more than 5,000 Chinese students and scholars have been denied visas or deported due to Proclamation No. 10043 over the past three years.

On February 23, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the termination of the "China Initiative" launched during the Trump administration. During its implementation, this initiative led to a series of lawsuits against academics, causing great dissatisfaction among the Asian American community and academia, with residual impacts still present today.

Politico also mentioned that even the mere threat of Pompeo's statement could completely end Chinese students' enthusiasm for U.S. universities. Rosie Levin, executive director of the non-profit education organization U.S.-China Educational Trust, said: "This will have a chilling effect on Chinese students choosing the U.S. as their top destination."

At the same time, this move will further damage U.S. colleges and educational institutions because these institutions rely on international student tuition to bridge funding gaps. Currently, Trump is threatening to stop federal funding and subsidies for colleges, pressuring them to address accusations of anti-Semitism.

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo U.S. Department of State website

Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has continued to target international students and colleges.

According to AP reports, previously, the U.S. government revoked the legal status of thousands of international students already in the U.S., leading some to leave the country out of fear of deportation. After many students successfully filed lawsuits, the U.S. government stated it would restore these students' statuses, but the government also expanded the reasons for terminating international students' legal status.

Last week, the Trump administration removed Harvard University's qualification to admit international students, removing it from the program allowing schools to sponsor foreign student visas. These international students number around 6,800, accounting for 27% of the total enrollment. However, this move quickly faced legal challenges and was blocked by a federal judge.

Several foreign media outlets reported on May 27 that the Trump administration continues to tighten international student visa applications, considering requiring all foreign students applying to study in the U.S. to undergo social media reviews, and has ordered its overseas missions to suspend scheduling interviews for all student and exchange visitor visa applications.

On May 28, local time, Trump proposed a plan at the White House to limit the proportion of international students at Harvard University to 15%.

"These countries haven't helped us; they haven't invested in Harvard..." Trump told reporters, "So why set such a large number like 31%? I think their cap should be around 15%, not 31%." He continued, stating that many U.S. students want to attend Harvard but cannot because of foreign students there.

Trump also said he does not want "radical leftists" to come to the U.S. as students and "cause trouble," though he did not elaborate.

Trump's frequent attacks on U.S. colleges have already drawn widespread dissatisfaction from the higher education sector. The American Association of International Educators (NAFSA) stated on May 27: "The idea that embassies have the time and ability to handle related work, and that taxpayers' money is spent this way, is highly problematic. International students do not pose a threat to this country; they are a valuable asset to this nation."

On May 28, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to related questions, pointing out that China consistently believes normal educational cooperation and academic exchanges should not be disrupted. We urge the U.S. to effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of international students, including Chinese students.

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Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7509677131505467930/

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