The US says it will begin revoking visas for some Chinese students, particularly those tied to the Chinese Communist Party or enrolled in critical fields, citing concerns over intellectual property theft and espionage. The move is part of a broader effort to protect critical technologies and will be paired with increased scrutiny of future visa applications from China and Hong Kong.
Targeted disciplines likely include areas of intense US-China competition, like semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and aerospace. While academic espionage is rare, officials say China’s efforts are coordinated, and the openness of US universities creates vulnerabilities. Officials cited cases of students transferring sensitive research to China and participating in state-backed recruitment programs, like the “Thousand Talents Plan.”
China is the second-largest source of international students in the US, with about 277,000 students enrolled in 2023–24, or roughly one in four foreign students. International students contributed $43.8B to the US economy last year and supported over 378,000 jobs. Officials haven’t said how many students may be affected.
