Washington plans to tighten visa rules for Chinese and Hong Kong applicants with ties to sensitive sectors or the Communist Party

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday (May 28) that the United States will begin revoking student visas granted to Chinese nationals, particularly those connected to the Chinese Communist Party or involved in studies deemed sensitive to national security.

Rubio also stated that the U.S. will overhaul its visa approval criteria, aiming for greater scrutiny over all future applications originating from China and Hong Kong.

This move follows growing concerns over espionage and intellectual property theft tied to foreign nationals in academic and research settings. According to a joint report by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. State Department, more than 275,000 Chinese students were enrolled at American universities during the 2023–2024 academic year—making China the second-largest source of international students after India.

U.S. universities heavily depend on the tuition fees paid by international students, many of whom also contribute to cutting-edge research and development programs.

The visa crackdown comes in the wake of broader efforts by the Biden administration to restrict entry for foreign individuals accused of suppressing free speech or censoring Americans. The policy also targets foreign officials who attempt to influence U.S.-based technology platforms.

On X (formerly Twitter), Rubio said it is “unacceptable” for foreign authorities to issue or threaten arrest warrants against American citizens or residents over social media content while physically present in the U.S. He also condemned any foreign pressure to moderate or censor content on American tech platforms.