Hong Kong welcomes students unfairly treated due to U.S. policies: HKSAR CE John Lee

Hong Kong fully welcomes students who have been unfairly treated due to U.S. policies to pursue their studies in the city, said Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive John Lee during a Q&A session at the Legislative Council on Thursday. Lee emphasized that Hong Kong, along with its local universities, will provide support and assistance to these students, according to local media reports.

The U.S. government has ordered embassies and consular sections worldwide to stop scheduling new appointments for student visas as it prepares to expand social media vetting of such applicants, a move constitutes the latest blow to foreign nationals seeking to study in the U.S. as incumbent administration tightens policies on universities and students, according to U.S. media reports.

The move came after the U.S. government recently revoked Harvard University's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively barring the institution from enrolling new international students.

Also on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, Reuters reported.

Some university students have faced unfair discrimination in the U.S., while Hong Kong has clear strengths in education, Lee said, noting that the HKSAR government believes that it is important to promote these advantages and showcase them to the world.

Lee said the HKSAR government will work with the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) to support and assist students who have been treated unfairly, helping them continue their studies in Hong Kong. He added that the authorities will maintain communication and collaboration with the Harvard Club of Hong Kong to assist affected students.

The admission cap for non-local students at UGC-funded universities has already been raised from 20 percent to 40 percent, and the government would consider further increasing the cap if necessary, Lee said, expressing his hope that this message reaches the students concerned: Hong Kong's universities welcome them to continue their academic journey here.

Regarding the ban on Harvard University's enrolling international students, the HKSAR Education Bureau has promptly called on all universities in Hong Kong to introduce facilitation measures for those eligible with a view to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of students and scholars, and to attract top talent in accordance with each institution's diverse admissions and recruitment policies, a spokesperson for the bureau told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Moreover, the bureau said it has contacted the Harvard Club of Hong Kong to offer comprehensive support for students who have been admitted to Harvard for further studies.

Some Hong Kong universities also announced that they welcome Harvard students following the U.S. ban on foreign student enrollment.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced on May 23 an open invitation to international undergraduate and postgraduate students currently enrolled at Harvard University, as well as those holding confirmed offers for Harvard degree programs, to continue their academic pursuits at HKUST.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has announced its full support for international students from Harvard, pledging to ensure a smooth academic transition for those who choose to transfer to HKU, local media Wen Wei Po reported on Wednesday.