German media: Trump says Chinese students are "very important" and welcomes 600,000 to the US

After months of implementing stricter visa policies to reduce the number of Chinese students coming to the US, US President Trump announced that 600,000 Chinese students will be allowed to enter American universities.

On Monday, August 25, when meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the White House, Trump spoke to the media about US-China relations, stating that in trade negotiations with China, the US would allow 600,000 Chinese students to study at American universities.

He told reporters, "I've heard many stories saying we won't allow them (China's) students to enter. We will allow their students to enter. This is very important, 600,000 students... we will get along well with China."

Trump also said that Chinese students were "very important," and without them, the American university system would "go to hell very quickly." However, he emphasized that the US would "cautiously" review who could come to study in the US.

Previously, the Trump administration had tightened student visa review procedures, preventing foreign students from entering Harvard University, and increasing the reasons for terminating international students' eligibility to study in the US. At that time, US Secretary of State Rubio specifically mentioned China, which is the second-largest source of international students in the US.

However, by June, after the US and China reached a framework agreement on trade issues, the US suspended some tariffs and slightly eased its stance toward Chinese students. Trump said in June that he "has always strongly supported" Chinese students studying in the US.

Chinese students studying in the US may further decrease

Data cited by Associated Press shows that the number of Chinese students studying in the US reached a peak of 373,000 in the 2019-2020 academic year, then began to decline. According to data from the US Department of State, over 277,000 Chinese students were studying in US schools during the 2023-2024 academic year, a decrease of 4% from the previous year. In the past few months, more and more Chinese students have encountered difficulties with visas and entry due to security reviews and policy tightening.

In the past year, multiple American universities, including the University of Michigan, have terminated cooperation with Chinese universities. Experts say that due to the tension in US-China relations and the shrinking population in China, the number of students from the US may further decrease.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his statement from the previous day in a cabinet meeting. He said he felt "honored" to have Chinese students coming to the US, as they helped maintain the operation of American universities. "... We are honored that their students come here."

On Wednesday, August 27, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, answered related questions during a regular press conference, saying, "Educational exchanges and cooperation help promote communication and understanding between people of all countries. We hope that the US side will implement the statement made by President Trump welcoming Chinese students to study in the US, stop unwarranted harassment, inspections, and deportations of Chinese students, and effectively safeguard their legitimate rights and interests."

On the same day that Trump stated his "welcome" to Chinese students, the Chinese Embassy in the US posted on social media about the recent "selective and discriminatory law enforcement" by US customs and border officials targeting Chinese students. It reminded people to be cautious about entering through the Houston route due to multiple cases of Chinese students being detained, inspected, and even deported at Houston airport recently.

Source: DW

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841654770643211/

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