Donald Trump (AP)
The White House on Thursday clarified that US President Donald Trump is not increasing the number of student visas for Chinese nationals, countering recent speculation over a supposed expansion in student entries. “President Trump isn’t proposing an increase in student visas for Chinese students. The 600k number refers to two years’ worth of visas. It’s simply a continuation of existing policy,” reported Fox News, citing a White House spokesperson.The clarification comes amid rising political backlash online and from some conservative commentators, who interpreted the 600,000 figure as a sign of a significant increase in student visa allocations.The controversy had erupted after Trump said, “we’re going to allow their students to come in. It’s very important, 600,000 students. It’s very important. But we’re going to get along with China.” The topic sparked criticism from segments of Trump’s support base, who argued that such a move would be inconsistent with the administration’s broader stance on reducing dependence on China, and also a significant departure from previous restrictive immigration and visa policies. Currently, over 270,000 Chinese students are studying in universities across the US, under existing visa frameworks. The 600,000 figure, the White House said, reflects a two-year cumulative count and does not indicate any policy shift or expansion.The clarification comes amid ongoing trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing, where educational exchanges remain one of the discussion points.The statement reaffirmed that there has been no increase in the number of visas issued under the current administration, and the visa policy remains unchanged.
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