Explainer: Why US is ‘aggressively’ revoking visas of many Chinese students

Just as the dust was settling on a fragile trade truce between the world’s two largest economies, the Trump administration delivered a shock to Chinese students and their families. US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Wednesday vowed to “aggressively” revoke visas of Chinese students- a sweeping move that rattled families, university officials, and Chinese authorities. Simultaneously, the Trump administration has unveiled new export controls restricting the sale of software used to design semiconductors – a key pinch point in the US-China tech battle.The one-two punch risks not only derailing the fragile trade truce painstakingly negotiated by the world’s two largest economies, but also upending the futures of hundreds of thousands of Chinese students who have long seen the US as the gold standard of higher education.Why it matters

The national security rationaleAt the heart of the crackdown is a deep suspicion in Washington that Beijing uses academic exchanges to siphon American technology and research. Recent decades have seen a steady flow of Chinese students into American classrooms, especially in STEM fields – a pipeline of talent and expertise that’s been a boon to US universities and industries. But for the Trump administration, that flow now looks like a national security vulnerability.As Denis Simon, a former administrator at Duke Kunshan University, put it: “Washington has become increasingly concerned that Beijing uses open and federally funded research environments in the US to circumvent export controls and other national security laws.”While the administration hasn’t said exactly how many students will be affected, the language of Rubio’s announcement leaves the door open for sweeping action. Even a small-scale revocation would disrupt a major source of income for American universities and cut off a crucial pipeline of global talent for US tech firms.But, it has an economic repercussionTrump’s visa revocation plan comes at a time when US universities are already on edge. International students – especially from China – are a vital source of revenue for tuition-driven colleges, many of which face declining enrollment and budget shortfalls.International students, led by those from China and India, contributed more than $50 billion to the US economy in 2023. Many universities rely on the high tuition paid by foreign students to balance their books – and Chinese students are often the biggest group.David Leopold, an immigration attorney, called the move “cataclysmic, maybe even catastrophic” for American universities. “The economic impacts and cultural impacts are massive,” he warned.Jonathan Friedman of PEN America warned that these policies risk “upending the long-standing place of the US as a beacon for intellectual and cultural exchange.” As Chinese students increasingly look elsewhere – or simply stay home – American universities may face not just an enrollment crisis but a blow to their global standing.The big pictureFor Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Trump administration’s twin blows come at a very sensitive time. Just weeks earlier, Chinese factories had begun humming again as the two countries moved to roll back tariffs imposed during the trade war. Chinese state media even celebrated the easing of tensions as a sign of national strength. “Factories started whirring again. Long-delayed shipping containers began leaving Chinese ports,” CNN reported.But Trump’s renewed focus on student visas and semiconductor software throws that fragile truce into question. China has invested tens of billions of dollars in its domestic chip industry, aiming to reduce its reliance on US technology. The new export controls on chip-design software – small but vital tools that power everything from smartphones to automobiles – are another shot across the bow in Washington’s broader tech war with Beijing.What they are saying

Zoom inFor Chinese families, sending a child to the US is often a years-long dream – and a massive financial sacrifice. Students typically attend cram schools, polish applications with tutors, and pay exorbitant tuition. Now, many are rethinking that investment. Jason Wei, an engineering grad student whose visa was delayed, told The New York Times, “It’s up to fate. I can’t do anything about it.”The targeting of students is already having a ripple effect on Chinese families’ perception of the US. Even before Rubio’s announcement, many Chinese parents were already anxious about sending their children abroad – worried about racism, safety, and shifting political winds, the NYT report said. Trump’s visa crackdown may accelerate that trend.What’s nextExperts predict that many Chinese students – and their parents – will look to other countries instead. Singapore, the UK, and Canada have all seen an uptick in Chinese student interest. And some families are simply choosing to keep their children in China – where the government has heavily invested in boosting domestic university capacity and international prestige.Denis Simon, the former executive vice chancellor of Duke Kunshan University, said Beijing might retaliate in indirect ways – such as cutting cooperation with the US on fentanyl control or restricting rare earth exports. But others see the crackdown as so self-defeating that China might not feel the need to respond at all.“Even if China doesn’t do anything, it would make their image, their reputation, their soft-power initiatives, more appealing,” Yanzhong Huang of the Council on Foreign Relations told The New York Times.A closing doorFor now, Chinese students like Candy and Li are stuck in limbo. The dream of studying in the US – once a symbol of global openness and opportunity – suddenly looks less certain. As universities brace for the fallout and the trade war’s truce hangs in the balance, many Chinese students may decide that the American dream is no longer worth the risk.(With inputs from agencies)