Washington: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the United States will begin revoking visas of certain Chinese students.
In a message posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Rubio stated that the cancellations will include students with links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and those pursuing education in critical fields.
Rubio also indicated that the U.S. will reconsider and potentially increase scrutiny for future visa applicants from China and Hong Kong.
According to estimates, around 280,000 Chinese students were studying in the United States last year. For many years, Chinese students represented one of the largest international student populations in U.S. universities. However, recent data shows a decline, attributed to COVID-era restrictions and worsening U.S.-China relations.
Diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Washington have continued to escalate since Donald Trump’s presidency. The imposition of tariffs by the Trump administration triggered a tit-for-tat trade war between the two nations.
Previously, the U.S. administration had directed its embassies to expand the screening process for student visa applicants, including detailed reviews of social media profiles. A memo from the Department of Homeland Security advised embassies not to issue new student visa appointments for the time being, although previously scheduled appointments would proceed as normal.
Additionally, a diplomatic cable mentioned that the State Department is preparing to expand its mandatory social media screening program for all student visa applications.
