On Friday, a faction of House Republicans pushed forward with legislation aimed at stopping Chinese students from enrolling in American educational institutions. This initiative aligns with a broader thrust by certain U.S. lawmakers to address perceived national security risks associated with China. The bill, introduced by Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia, proposes to prohibit the issuance of visas that permit Chinese nationals to enter the United States for the purpose of education or participation in exchange visitor programs. Five additional Republican legislators have shown their support for this measure.
Rep. Moore, articulating the rationale for the proposal, remarked that allowing Chinese citizens such visas effectively invites espionage aimed at the U.S. military, the theft of intellectual property, and poses a threat to national security. “It’s time we turn off the spigot and immediately ban all student visas going to Chinese nationals,” Moore emphasized.
Despite its introduction, the bill faces significant obstacles to become law, and it has attracted criticism from various groups and academics. Concerns have arisen that such hostile policies towards Chinese students could adversely affect U.S. interests. Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA, an association of international educators, criticized the move, saying, “No policy should target individuals solely on the basis of their national origin.” Moreover, Aw highlighted the role of international students, labeling them as “the most vetted and tracked nonimmigrants in the United States,” and argued that making them scapegoats for xenophobic and anti-Chinese sentiment is misguided.
In response, the Chinese embassy in Washington, through spokesman Liu Pengyu, voiced strong opposition to the proposed legislation. Liu emphasized that educational exchange and cooperation have historically been foundational to the stable development of Sino-U.S. relations.
The Asian American Scholars Forum also condemned the legislative proposal, warning that it could cripple the influx of Asian American talent in science and academia, ultimately diminishing U.S. supremacy in these domains. Yangyang Cheng, a research scholar at Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center, described the bill as a broader attempt to limit academic expression and hinder higher education. According to Cheng, the bill seeks to control educational content, research pursuits, and access to educational resources.
Currently, more than 277,000 Chinese students are pursuing their studies in the U.S., accounting for approximately one-quarter of all international students, as reported for the 2023-24 school year by the Institute of International Education. However, the influx of Chinese students has been on the decline over recent years. In the previous year, India surpassed China as the leading country sending international students to the U.S.
This legislative attempt is not entirely without precedent. In 2023, Florida implemented a measure barring state universities from hiring graduate assistants and postdocs from China, along with six other nations—a move now facing legal challenges. Under pressure from Republican lawmakers concerned about national security, several American universities have severed academic ties with Chinese institutions.
The proposed legislation has triggered diverse reactions on Chinese social media. Some individuals who recently received offers from U.S. institutions voiced apprehensions, others dismissed the move as “a political show,” and a few likened it to “another Chinese Exclusion Act.”
