White House targeting China in far-reaching package
Visa restrictions on Chinese students and scholars will hurt the U.S. more than China, Chinese analysts noted on Tuesday as the Trump administration reportedly considers a package of measures targeting Beijing.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the White House was weighing tariffs, visa and investment restrictions in response to alleged Chinese violations of intellectual property laws and other misdeeds. The package could be unveiled later this month, the report said.
Politico also reported the news, but said some administration officials have raised objections to the visa restrictions and it was unclear whether they would make it into the final package.
Zhao Li, a Beijing-based education counselor at IDP Education with 10 years' experience helping Chinese study abroad, told the Global Times that visa restrictions in the long term may encourage talented students to target other countries.
"The impact is limited in the short term," Zhao said. "However, if visa restrictions are imposed, those who speak less fluent English may suffer a blow in their visa applications."
Xie Zuoxu, a professor of education at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that visa restrictions would hurt the U.S. more than China.
"Most of the Chinese students who study in the U.S., especially at graduate schools, are highly capable and ambitious in academic pursuits," Xie said.
"Denying them a visa will have a long-term negative impact on U.S. academic competitiveness. At the same time, U.S. colleges depend heavily on Chinese students for tuition revenue."
Restrictions would hit the U.S. education industry, Xie said, noting that "as for Chinese students, there are many other countries that can offer top-notch study or research experience including the UK, Germany and Canada."
China is by far the largest source of international students in the U.S., with 350,755 studying in the 2016-2017 academic year, or 32.5 percent of all international students, according to the Open Doors 2017 report from the U.S.-based Institute of International Education.
Visas issued to foreign students plunged last year amid stricter immigration policies, the Wall Street Journal also reported, citing State Department data.
Visa restrictions for Chinese citizens would have "devastating" effects and "students should never be used as bargaining chips," Esther D. Brimmer, executive director and CEO of the Association for International Educators, was quoted as saying in a report by insidehighered.com, a U.S. media company focused on university education.
The report also quoted Terry Hartle, senior vice president for government and public affairs at the American Council on Education, saying "international students have benefited this country enormously over the last 25 years.
"We believe it's in America's interest to be the destination of choice for the world's best students and scholars, and it would be a very sad day if we undermine that perception."
