HONG KONG (AP) – Chinese students studying in the US are rushing to grasp the future after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that he would cancel his visa.
According to the announcement, the US will begin revoking visas for students studying in “critical areas” and Chinese students, including those “with ties to the Communist Party of China.”
China is the second largest country of origin in the United States, after India alone. Over 270,000 international students were from China in the 2023-2024 academic year, accounting for about a quarter of all international students in the US
This is “a new version of China’s exclusion law,” said Linkin, a Chinese student at Johns Hopkins University. He said it was the first time he thought about leaving the United States after spending a third of his life here on Wednesday.
Chinese international students are the point of tension between us and China
On Thursday, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, Mao Zedong called the US decision irrational, saying “this political and discriminatory action bares the US lie that it supports what is called freedom and openness.” She added that China has filed a protest with the US.
The problems with Chinese students studying abroad have long been a point of tension in bilateral relations. During Trump’s first term in 2019, China’s Ministry of Education warned students about US visa issues, accompanied by a rise in rejection rates and a shorter visa.
Last year, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had many Chinese students were unfairly questioned and sent home When you arrive at the US airport.
China’s state media has long overstated the fierce protests during the US gun violence and the pandemic, portraying the US as a dangerous place that is unsafe for its citizens. Tensed bilateral relations mean a part of it Chinese students choose to study in the UK or other countries in the US after the pandemic.
Zou Renge, a 27-year-old masters of public policy student at the University of Chicago, said he had planned to take time off overseas and work in a humanitarian aid program after graduating at the end of the year.
But now she will refrain from leaving the US and look for work in the meantime. “In an environment where there is very uncertainty, I will do my best to find a solution,” she said.
Hong Kong aims to bring out talent amid uncertainty
US Hong Kong leader John Lee told lawmakers Thursday that he would welcome students discriminated against by American policies to study in the city.
“Students facing unfair treatment can come from a variety of countries outside the US, and I think this is an opportunity for Hong Kong,” he said. “We will work with the university to provide the best possible support and support.”
It followed a widely shared post by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to smooth out the process for Harvard students to transfer after Trump said he would revoke the university’s ability to accept international students.
Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997, is a popular destination for mainland Chinese students to pursue university degrees for international image and relative freedom.
The 2022 city has already been released New Visa Scheme In order to counter the departures of expatriates and local experts that emerged after Beijing, they impose national security laws to suppress opposition and opposition during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kitty Wu, director of Hong Kong’s education consultant Tritz USA Student Services, said some students planning to apply to American universities in the future are Hong Kong University, the city’s top university, and are considering options due to its high rankings.
“Things are different every day right now. I don’t know how things will change in the future, so I don’t know what the impact will happen next year,” she said.
Wilkun, managing director of Hong Kong’s AAS education consulting firm, said his company has already helped students from offers from other institutions, primarily in the UK and Australia, to apply to other institutions and provide alternatives. He said they made the move after reporting that the State Department had stopped scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the US.
We were known for diversity, and this would hurt it, students say
“It’s definitely not good for America’s development, and there’s no doubt that there’s little international exchange,” said Zhang Qi, a postdoctoral researcher in Beijing. “This could be a positive change for China’s development. More talented individuals may choose to stay at Tinshua or Peking University.
For many, there’s little they can do as they are now waiting for fallout from their travels.
Just giving his last name out of concern over Trump administration retaliation, Chen, the next Chinese student at Purdue University, was waiting with concern for his visa approval. But he was mad too. Now in China, this is the exact opposite of what the US thought it was supporting.
“I was hoping for freedom and tolerance. The United States was known for its diversity that international students adapt to, and it’s a shame to see such changes,” he said.
– –
Footing reported from Washington to Bangkok from Wu. Associated Press researcher Shihuan Chen and video producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this report from Beijing.
Source link
