US visa crackdown fuels Beijing's protest over student revocations
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning voiced firm opposition to the U.S. authorities’ decision, described as baseless, following Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s announcement concerning the revocation of visas for Chinese students. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China lodged a formal protest in Washington.
During a press briefing, Mao emphasized that the U.S. administration is using ideology and national security concerns as justification for arbitrarily cancelling visas. She noted that such measures significantly infringe on the rights and interests of Chinese students and interfere with regular people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.
Mao emphasized that this politically driven and discriminatory move by the United States exposes the falsehood behind its frequently professed values of freedom and openness. She warned that such actions would further harm the country's international image, reputation, and credibility.
On Wednesday, Rubio announced that the United States will "aggressively" revoke visas for Chinese students, primarily those linked to the Communist Party of China or studying in "sensitive fields."
The U.S. Secretary of State also announced that the scrutiny of future visa applications from individuals in China would be strengthened due to suspicions of connections with intelligence services.
During the 2023/2024 academic year, over 277,000 Chinese students were studying in the U.S. They represent the second-largest group of international students at American universities, following Indian nationals.
