Deep Dive: Chinese student visas could be blocked under new bill introduced in US Congress

Republican lawmakers in the US have introduced a bill that would block Chinese citizens from getting student visas.

Representative Riley Moore of West Virginia was the original sponsor of the bill. It is called the “Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act”. If passed, it would prevent Chinese nationals from getting student visas to study in the US.

Laws in the US are decided by a small group of elected officials called Congress. It has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Moore’s bill would have to be passed by both parts before it could be signed into law by US President Donald Trump.

“Every year, we allow nearly 300,000 Chinese nationals to come to the US on student visas. We’ve literally invited the CCP to spy on our military, steal our intellectual property, and threaten national security,” Moore said.

“It’s time we turn off the [tap] and immediately ban all student visas going to Chinese nationals.”

Moore cited three cases of Chinese students in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Virginia accused of gathering sensitive information. Two of these cases led to convictions.

Chinese citizens make up the second largest group of international students in the US, after Indian nationals. According to the Institute of International Education, 277,398 Chinese students studied in the US during the 2023-24 academic year. The figure has been declining since the 2019-20 school year.

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Moore’s proposal applies to all Chinese students, regardless of their academic field or level of study.

Some Democrats took issue with the bill’s assumption that all Chinese students were suspect.

“Our strategic competition is with the Chinese Communist Party, not the Chinese people,” said Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois.

Democratic Representative Grace Meng of New York said that “cultural exchange through university programmes has made our economy stronger and more competitive.”

“While we must remain vigilant in protecting our national security, banning only Chinese students from studying in the US is xenophobic and wrong-headed,” she said.

This is not the first time the Trump administration has targeted international students from China.

In 2020, during his first term, Trump signed a proclamation that led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 visas for “high-risk graduate students and research scholars”. They were suspected of acquiring and transferring sensitive technologies and intellectual property from the US to China.

Staff writers

1. Based on News, which of the following are true?

(1) Chinese citizens are the second largest group of international students in the US.
(2) The original sponsor of the bill was a Democratic representative.
(3) The number of Chinese students studying in the US has been declining.
(4) Moore’s main concern is that Chinese-born students will take jobs from American-born students.

A. (1), (2) only
B. (2), (3) only
C. (1), (3) only
D. (3), (4) only

2. Why does Moore want to prevent Chinese students from studying in the US? How did Democrats receive the bill?

3. Using the information in the News, name ONE way Chinese students have been affected by US policies in recent years.

1. What is being shown in the graph? What trends can you identify?

2. Based on the information in News, how might the graph look over the next few years if Moore’s bill becomes law?

• Non-profit group Committee of 100 warned the legislation would encourage racial profiling

• Survey respondents say worsening ties between the US and China has led to more discrimination

A group of prominent Chinese-Americans known as the Committee of 100 has called a bill proposing a ban on student visas for Chinese nationals “not just exclusionary but self-defeating”.

The non-profit organisation’s chairman Gary Locke, Washington’s ambassador to China from 2011 to 2014, said in a statement that the US “has always thrived by welcoming the brightest minds from around the world”.

“Shutting the door on Chinese students doesn’t just betray our values; it weakens our leadership in science, technology and innovation,” Locke said.

“The Stop CCP Visas Act is not just exclusionary but self-defeating. We must stand for opportunity, not fear, and ensure that talent and progress continue to flourish in our nation.”

In its statement, the Committee of 100 warned that the proposed legislation would inflame racism and racial profiling that would affect all students of Chinese heritage in the US, including Chinese-Americans.

“Suggesting that every Chinese student – regardless of background, intentions, or beliefs – is a national security threat is not only inaccurate but also fuels xenophobia, discrimination, and hostility towards an entire group of people,” it said.

“Chinese and Chinese-American students have long contributed to America’s scientific, technological and economic progress, and such rhetoric undermines their ability to learn, collaborate and thrive in an environment free from suspicion and prejudice.”

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A Committee of 100 survey released last year found most Chinese-Americans believed that worsening ties between the US and China had fuelled hateful rhetoric.

The survey also found that a majority of respondents agreed that Washington was not doing enough to combat discrimination.

Reactions on Chinese social media to the bill were swift: “I can’t see it happening because the universities make too much money off international students,” said a US-based user on RedNote.

“I don’t think they have the votes for this, but the fear that allowed the TikTok ban surprised me,” said another.

Other Asian-American groups also expressed opposition to the bill: “The Asian-American community is a predominantly immigrant population, and for many ... the journey began with a single step onto a college campus,” said Gisela Perez Kusakawa, executive director of the Asian-American Scholar Forum.

“We cannot afford to cut off this pipeline of talent and exclude such an integral part of our American community,” she said.

Staff writers

1. Based on Issue, which of the following are true?

(1) Gary Locke, the chairman of the Committee of 100, was the US ambassador to China from 2011 to 2014.
(2) Many in the Asian-American community oppose Moore’s bill.
(3) A survey found that most people think the US is doing a good job combating discrimination.
(4) Many Chinese-Americans thought the bill would not affect the issue of racial profiling.

A. (1), (2) only
B. (1), (3) only
C. (2), (4) only
D. (3), (4) only

2. Using Issue, list TWO reasons the Committee of 100 gives for opposing Moore’s bill.

3. List TWO organisations or groups of people other than the Committee of 100 who gave their opinions about the bill. What points did they make?

1. What is being depicted in this cartoon? How does it relate to News and Issue?

2. Using News, Issue and your own knowledge, explain TWO possible consequences of passing the bill.

visa: an official document allowing a person to visit or live in a country or territory for a certain period. There are different visas for different purposes, such as travel or study. Requirements vary for people from different places. For example, a person with a Hong Kong passport doesn’t need a visa to travel to the UK, but someone with a Vietnamese passport does.

intellectual property: the ownership of an idea or design by the person who came up with it. It can be applied to musical, literary and artistic works, discoveries and inventions.

xenophobic: fear or hatred of people from different cultures or countries. It is often based on stereotypes, prejudice and a lack of understanding of other cultures

prominent: well-known, highly-regarded or famous

rhetoric: language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect, but which is often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content

1. C

2. Representative Riley Moore said he wants to protect US national security by preventing Chinese students from getting visas. He claimed that these students were part of the Chinese Communist Party and would spy on the US military and steal intelligence.

His statement was not well received by Democratic representatives, who felt it was incorrect to assume all Chinese students were coming to the US to threaten national security. Democratic Representative Grace Meng of New York called the move “xenophobic” and said that cultural exchange strengthens the US economy and makes it more competitive.

3. During Donald Trump’s first term as US president, he cancelled more than a thousand visas for Chinese students. Trump claimed these students were high-risk and suspected of acquiring and transferring sensitive technologies and intellectual property from the US to China.

1. The graph shows that the US has steadily increased the number of F1 student visas given to mainland Chinese students. This number has remained fairly consistent since 2018. The only dip was in 2020, when only eight students received these visas because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The number rose to 33,900 in 2021.

2. If Moore’s bill were signed into law, the graph would show a significant drop in the number of students receiving visas, likely down to zero, since he has said he wants to ban all Chinese nationals.

1. A

2. The group said this bill fuels discrimination and hostility. The bill is exclusionary, and, as Locke pointed out, the US has always welcomed bright minds from around the world to study. In addition, survey information reveals that most Chinese Americans feel that worsening ties between the US and China contribute to Asian American discrimination, which wouldn’t improve if the bill were passed.

3. People on mainland Chinese social media expressed their thoughts on RedNote, saying they didn’t think it would pass. Asian American groups condemned it. The executive director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, Gisela Perez Kusakawa, said the US could not afford to cut off the pipeline of talent that the country desperately needs.

1. This cartoon shows a student at the top of an hourglass, and the bottom half shows the US Capitol building and a US flag. There is a string around the centre of the hourglass, cutting off the two sides from one another. This relates to News and Issue because it symbolises how students might soon be cut off from studying in the US because of Moore’s bill.

2. China may retaliate with a similar bill banning US students or tighten visa restrictions for US tourists. It will continue to weaken the already-fragile ties between China and the US and could lead to more discrimination towards Asian Americans.