Editorial | Chinese students should not be caught in crossfire
- The Trump administration, without warning, wants to expel those whose courses will be taught online only due to Covid-19
- Washington has to show understanding and work with Beijing for a solution
American universities rank among the best in the world, so it is natural that Chinese with the means would want to study at them. But worsening relations between the United States and China have meant ever-more restrictions preventing such opportunities and the latest measure from the Trump administration will put some in immigration limbo.
Without warning, authorities have announced foreign students cannot stay in the country if the schools they are attending move courses online due to Covid-19. If in-person teaching is available, they do not have to leave; but given concerns about the spread of the disease and how flights have been disrupted, there is every need for leniency.
In its announcement, the immigration department said students already in the country who did not comply with the order would have visas cancelled and be deported. Tensions between China and the US, coupled with concern about spread of Covid-19, means that there are few flights between the countries.
Chinese students last year accounted for about one-third of the 1.1 million foreigners enrolled at American higher education institutions. How many are presently in the nation awaiting the start of autumn classes is not known, but those that are have been put in a difficult situation.
With no other nation in the world as badly hit by the coronavirus as the US and its spread worsening in many places, students were already faced with the dilemma of whether to put education ahead of health. American universities, like their counterparts elsewhere, had already switched to remote learning and that will remain the case for the majority of courses when the new semester begins.
Why the Trump administration has made the decision is not known, although it has been suspending visas for foreign workers including scientists and doctors to protect local jobs. Chinese graduate students, academics and researchers studying or working in certain science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields were the targets of measures taken last year with visas either shortened in duration or cancelled due to concerns about espionage.
Chinese students have been either intentionally or unwittingly caught in the middle. Washington has to show understanding and work with Beijing for a solution.
