Marco Rubio announced that the Trump Administration will revoke visas for Chinese students in the country
Rubio's remarks came two months after House Republicans introduced the Stop Chinese Communist Party Espionage through Stop CCP VISAs Act.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday via his X account that the Administration of U.S. President Donald Trump will begin revoking visas for those students from Chinawho have ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or are enrolled in university areas that are deemed critical. "The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields," Rubio tweeted.
A few hours before Rubio's post, the State Department issued a statement announcing the move. "Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong," the agency published.
New visa restrictions
Along with the new national policy toward China, the secretary of state also announced Wednesday new visa restrictions for thoseforeigners deemed "complicit" in censoring U.S. citizens. "For too long, Americans have been fined, harassed, and even charged by foreign authorities for exercising their free speech rights. Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign officials and persons who are complicit in censoring Americans. "Free speech is essential to the American way of life – a birthright over which foreign governments have no authority," detailed Rubio.
Rubio's remarks came two months after House Republicans introduced theStop Chinese Communist Party Espionage Actthrough the Stop CCP VISAs Act, also known as the Protection of Intellectual Safeguards in Academics Act. In fact, Florida Republican Senator Ashley Moody criticized during an interview with Fox Business the granting of student visas to Chinese nationals following a Stanford University report revealing how several of these students acted as spiesfor Chinese intelligence services.
A hectic hearing in the lower house
In the discussion, Rubio detailed that he "proudly" revoked visas for those students who "generate problems," adding that a student visa is a "privilege, not a right."
China condemns “discriminatory” U.S. visa plan
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called the new visa policy for Chinese students “irrational.”
“The United States has irrationally revoked Chinese students' visas under the pretext of ideology and (protection of) national rights,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told a press conference.
“This political and discriminatory practice by the United States has exposed the lies of the so-called freedom and openness that the U.S. has always promoted, and further damaged its own international image, national image and credibility,” the Chinese spokeswoman said.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
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