Chinese hi-tech students may find their US visas restricted under a new rule - and Senator Marco Rubio is delighted
‘Student & academic visas are another weapon they use against us in their campaign to steal & cheat their way to world dominance,’ US Senator Marco Rubio wrote of China
New limits on how long some Chinese students can stay in the United States – introduced by the Trump administration in order to battle what it considers theft of US intellectual property by Beijing – are receiving applause from at least one senator, but getting pushback from others outside Congress.
The State Department has told US embassies and consulates that Chinese postgraduate students who are studying subjects that Beijing has prioritised for its “Made in China 2025” strategy, including robotics, aviation and hi-tech manufacturing, could be limited to one-year visas.
Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, hailed the policy change as “another great move!” in a tweet on Wednesday. “China poses unprecedented threat,” he wrote. “Student & academic visas are another weapon they use against us in their campaign to steal & cheat their way to world dominance.”
The State Department announced the changes, which will take effect on June 11, on Tuesday. The current US maximum visa length for Chinese applicants is five years, and previous standard practice had been to issue student visas for the full period.
Made in China 2025 is Beijing’s plan to develop China into a technological superpower, particularly in areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence and hi-tech manufacturing.