U.S. called on to protect interests of int'l students

Beijing has urged Washington to protect the interests of international students amid reports that the United States government has halted the scheduling of new interviews for student visa applicants.

"China believes that education cooperation and academic exchanges should not be disrupted," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Wednesday.

Mao made the remark after foreign media reported that the U.S. government is considering requiring all foreign students applying to study in the U.S. to undergo social media vetting, and in preparation for the vetting, is ordering U.S. embassies and consular sections to pause scheduling new interviews for such visa applicants.

The spokeswoman said that China is following the current development, which comes days after the U.S. government revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students. The revocation has been temporarily blocked by a court restraining order.

"We urge the U.S. to protect the lawful and legitimate rights and interests of all international students, including those from China," Mao added.

In an interview with China Media Group on Wednesday, a staff member of the U.S. embassy in Beijing said the embassy has not received relevant information, and visa applications and interviews are proceeding as usual.

A 20-year-old Chinese student, who is majoring in computer science at a U.S. university, said the reported measure will not affect his studies in the U.S., because he already has a long-term student visa.

However, those currently applying for majors at U.S. universities may feel anxious about the move, he said, adding that the U.S. is not as welcoming for international students as it used to be.

According to a report released on Friday by New Oriental Education and Technology Group, an education company in China, the U.S. has been the second most popular country for Chinese students who intend to study abroad for six years in a row.

However, the U.S. government has stepped up its crackdown on international students this year, including by abruptly terminating their legal status.