White House will not increase Chinese student visas https://t.co/aK3tcRSWir
Trump Admin reportedly walks back statement about 600,000 new student visas for Chinese students #MacroEdge
The White House says Trump “is not proposing an increase in student visas for Chinese students.” https://t.co/kjkGFhyl6L
The White House on Thursday said President Donald Trump is not planning to expand the number of visas issued to Chinese students, countering speculation that his administration intended to admit an additional 600,000 students from China. A spokesperson explained that the 600,000 figure Trump mentioned earlier in the week represents two years’ worth of visas for roughly 300,000 Chinese nationals already studying at U.S. colleges and universities. “It’s simply a continuation of existing policy,” the official said, adding that no change in visa quotas is under consideration while trade talks with Beijing continue. Trump’s initial remark, delivered during an Oval Office meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, fueled confusion because it followed administration proposals to shorten visa durations for Chinese students on national-security grounds. Universities, already grappling with falling international enrollment, expressed concern the comment signaled a reversal of recent tightening measures. Chinese enrollment in U.S. higher-education programs has slid from a peak of about 373,000 in the 2019-20 academic year to roughly 277,000 in 2023, according to government data. Institutions warn that policy uncertainty and bilateral tensions could push the numbers lower, eroding a revenue stream worth billions of dollars to American campuses.
