US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the United States will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in critical fields.
In a statement on Wednesday, Rubio added that the State Department will also revise visa criteria to increase scrutiny of all future visa applications from China and Hong Kong.
China had the second highest number of international students pursuing higher education in the United States during the 2023/2024 academic year, with 277,398 students, according to the Institute of International Education.
Beijing's call for equitable treatment for its students comes after a senior US official sent letter to six universities requesting information on Chinese students.
On Tuesday, it was reported that the State Department had halted new appointments for students and exchange visitor visa applicants.
The Trump administration has expanded social media vetting of foreign students and is seeking to increase deportations and revoke student visas as part of its broader hardline immigration agenda.
