May 29, 2025 – NAXNews.com

The Chinese government strongly criticized a recent announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke student visas for specific groups of Chinese nationals studying in the United States. The policy, revealed on Wednesday (28), targets students allegedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party and those involved in what the U.S. government classifies as “critical areas of study.”

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning responded on Thursday (29), calling the move an ideological and security-driven measure that violates the legitimate rights of Chinese students. “The U.S. is using national security as a pretext,” she said, warning that such actions damage the foundation of educational and diplomatic exchange between the two countries.

According to the ministry, China has lodged a formal protest and urged the United States to adopt a “more constructive stance” to ensure stability in U.S.–China relations.

Rubio emphasized that the State Department will coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security to “aggressively revoke visas” as part of broader national security efforts. However, he did not specify which fields of study fall under the administration’s “critical areas” category.

Recent data from Reuters shows a sharp decline in the number of Chinese students enrolled in U.S. institutions. As of 2024, there are approximately 277,000 Chinese students in the U.S., down from a peak of nearly 370,000 in 2019. This drop reflects growing tensions between the two nations and increased scrutiny from U.S. authorities over foreign student activity.

Beyond the visa revocations, U.S. agencies are also expected to tighten the overall visa approval process for travelers from both China and Hong Kong, introducing more rigorous assessments for future applications.