US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in a tersely worded press statement on Wednesday that the United States government will start to “aggressively” revoke visas issued to Chinese students studying in the country, as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on foreign students enrolled at tertiary institutions in the US.
“Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, the US State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” he said, including those purportedly “with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.”
“We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong,” Rubio added.
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According to multiple media reports, he also ordered, via a diplomatic cable on Tuesday, America’s embassies and consulates worldwide to stop scheduling student visa interviews, pending more expansive vetting of social media profiles of applicants. These latest efforts to restrict international students’ entry to the country are reportedly over claims that they might promote “antisemitism” or otherwise threaten national security.
Many Hong Kong secondary school students expressed their concern and worry about the situation, with education consultancies expecting online class arrangements or possible semester deferrals for international students.
China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Wednesday urged Washington to “safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of international students, including those from China.”
