Welcome to “Current Affairs Scan”. I am Jin Ran.
Today’s focus: The United States revokes visas for Chinese students, social media scrutiny intensifies; Harvard University loses student project accreditation for collusion with the CCP, putting thousands of students at risk of deportation; from the “Chinese Exclusion Act” to the “Chinese Student Protection Act”, five legislative actions against the Chinese people in the U.S. are revealed; global reshuffling in the international student market, where does the future lead?
On May 28th, U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo announced the revocation of visas for Chinese students studying in critical fields related to the CCP (such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors). Strict scrutiny of Chinese student applications for studying in the U.S. on social media has also been implemented. The U.S. government finally realizes the need to protect its own technology and national security, preventing the CCP’s infiltration!
This brings to mind the five legislative actions in U.S. history related to Chinese immigrants. Today, let’s delve into the profound impact of these legislations and see if we can decipher the future trends from them.
The U.S. attitude towards Chinese immigrants, from the 1868 “Burlingame Treaty” to the 1992 “Chinese Student Protection Act”, fluctuated between openness and exclusion over the span of 150 years. Behind this, lies the political, economic, and international relations maneuvering within the U.S. Today, the restrictions on Chinese students by the U.S. may seem to be for national security reasons on the surface, but economic competition and ideological confrontation shadows lurk behind.
When it comes to the “Burlingame Treaty” in 1868, it was the first equal treaty signed between the U.S. and the Qing Dynasty, allowing Chinese people to freely travel, do business, study, and settle in America. This enabled the U.S. to gain a significant amount of cheap labor. At that time, the U.S. was constructing the transcontinental railroad, and Chinese laborers became the main workforce.
From 1865 to 1869, over 12,000 Chinese laborers participated in the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad, accounting for over 90% of the labor force. The contributions of these Chinese laborers allowed the completion of the U.S. railroad network 10 years ahead of schedule. By the 1880s, local American laborers started protesting against the Chinese workers “stealing their jobs”. Hence, in 1882, the U.S. Congress passed the “Chinese Exclusion Act”, prohibiting Chinese labor immigration for 10 years. This policy led to a decrease in the Chinese population in the U.S. from over 1 million in the 1880s to 89,000 in 1900.
Next was the U.S.’s third legislative action concerning the Chinese, the 1908 “Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Act”. The U.S. partially returned the Boxer Indemnity and established a scholarship program, funding Chinese students to study in the U.S. from 1909 to 1929, including renowned architect Liang Sicheng. After returning to China, they made significant contributions to modernization in China.
In 1914, Mei Yiqi entered the U.S. through the Boxer Indemnity scholarship to study electrical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Mei wrote in his diary, ‘When I first arrived in the U.S., with no knowledge of the language and facing hardships, the knowledge here showed me China’s future.’ After going back to China, Mei Yiqi became the president of Tsinghua University, transforming it into one of the top educational institutions in China. It’s no exaggeration to say that the U.S.’s “Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Act” was a significant factor in Tsinghua University’s establishment. Interestingly, by 2024, over 60% of Tsinghua University graduates chose to study abroad, with half heading to the U.S. Among these students, many later contributed to the technological development of the CCP. For instance, within Huawei’s 5G technology research team, there are several Tsinghua alumni who studied in the U.S. This illustrates how educational exchanges could become tools for CCP infiltration. In May 2025, a Chinese student studying semiconductor technology at the California Institute of Technology was found to have connections with the CCP military, leading to the revocation of his visa.
The U.S.’s fourth legislative action towards the Chinese was the 1943 “Magnuson Act”. During World War II, China was an ally of the U.S., leading to the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Chinese individuals were granted 105 immigrant visas annually. Although the quantity was small, it marked the end of discriminatory policies. This transformation was closely tied to international conditions. It’s worth noting that Madame Chiang Kai-shek, Soong Mei-ling’s visit to the U.S. and her speech played a crucial role in swaying American public opinion. In February 1943, Soong Mei-ling visited the U.S. and delivered a 30-minute speech in Congress, saying, ‘The Chinese people fought fascism alongside the American people; we should become real friends.’ Her speech resonated with countless Americans, receiving 15 rounds of applause on the spot, directly leading to the passage of the “Magnuson Act”.
The repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943 was due to China’s support during the war, but it also came at a cost for the U.S. during the later Cold War period. Many Chinese immigrants later became indirect supporters of the CCP. For instance, in the 1950s, some Chinese-American scientists returned to China and became key figures in various CCP nuclear weapons development projects.
Today, international circumstances continue to influence U.S. immigration policies. In May 2025, during ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S. accused the CCP of supplying military products to Russia, exacerbating tensions between China and the U.S., directly impacting the visa status of Chinese students. History shows us that changes in international situations often become indicators for shifts in immigration policies.
The fifth legislative action concerning the Chinese by the U.S., profoundly impactful and most well-known, is the “Chinese Student Protection Act” passed in 1992 after the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident. This act granted around 80,000 Chinese nationals then in the U.S. permanent residency status, symbolically for students’ protection, but the actual beneficiaries included many unrelated to the Tiananmen Square incident.
In 1990, a Chinese student named Zhang Wei pursued a Ph.D. in Physics at the University of California, Berkeley. Post the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, like other Chinese students in America, he witnessed the violent suppression by the CCP through live broadcasts. His J1 visa was expiring, and according to regulations, he had to return to China to serve a mandatory two years. However, he feared persecution upon his return for participating in memorial activities for the victims in the U.S. Post the passing of the “Chinese Student Protection Act” in 1992, Zhang Wei successfully applied for permanent residency, allowing him to stay in the U.S. and ultimately become a chief scientist in a technology company. Similar to Zhang Wei, tens of thousands of Chinese individuals received green cards due to the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, reshaping their future trajectories in the U.S.
While this legislation was considered a humanitarian victory, it was not without controversy. The act ostensibly aimed to protect students, but in reality, the beneficiaries included many unrelated to the Tiananmen incident, and even some illegal immigrants. According to the Pew Research Center, around 20% of beneficiaries entered the U.S. through illegal means and obtained green cards subsequently, sparking intense debate within the U.S. at the time.
Today, the U.S. visa restrictions on Chinese students are starkly contrasted with the situation in 1992. Back then, America opted to protect Chinese students based on humanitarian and ideological considerations. However, today, due to the CCP’s regressive actions and the increasing number of Chinese students in the U.S. exhibiting anti-American behavior or aiding the CCP in stealing cutting-edge U.S. technology, the U.S. has shifted its stance to vigilance and exclusion. On May 28th, a Chinese student studying artificial intelligence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had his F1 visa revoked due to his father’s CCP membership and sensitive background. This policy shift leaves one lamenting as the swing of history’s pendulum leans towards exclusion.
Moving forward, let’s explore the current situation in detail. In May 2025, the U.S. not only revoked the visas of some Chinese students but also targeted Harvard University. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Norm issued an order to terminate Harvard University’s student and exchange visitor program accreditation, citing Harvard’s close ties with the CCP, involving collaboration with quasi-military organizations participating in forced labor and genocide against Uyghurs. This decision has put thousands of international students at Harvard in a dilemma of transferring schools or facing deportation.
Harvard University is accused of collaborating with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps of the CCP, allegedly involved in Uyghur forced labor and genocide. Harvard’s cooperative projects include hosting and training CCP military members, leading the U.S. government to believe that Harvard has violated relevant laws.
This type of restriction targeting specific ethnic groups bears resemblance to the 1882 “Chinese Exclusion Act”. In that era, economic competition led the U.S. to exclude Chinese laborers; today, the U.S. restricts Chinese students due to ideological opposition with the CCP.
From the 1868 “Burlingame Treaty” to the 1992 “Chinese Student Protection Act”, the U.S.’s attitude towards Chinese immigrants has oscillated between exclusion and acceptance. This cyclical pattern is closely tied to domestic U.S. politics and international situations. Take the 1943 “Magnuson Act” for example, during the World War II era, the U.S. and China were allies, leading to the abolition of the Chinese Exclusion Act; in 1992, post the Cold War, based on ideological considerations, the U.S. enacted the “Chinese Student Protection Act”. However, today, with the intensification of the China-U.S. competition due to ideological conflicts with the CCP and the abhorrent behavior of many “Party-loving and anti-America” Chinese students abroad, the U.S.’s stance has shifted back to exclusion.
Looking ahead, in the short term, the U.S. government’s swift actions targeting Chinese students might result in the cancellation of a large number of Chinese student visas, especially in sensitive subject areas. According to Reuters, the U.S. will expel all Chinese students studying in semiconductor, artificial intelligence, and aerospace fields, revoking visas for over 270,000 students at once, and gradually expelling other Chinese students, aiming to force Chinese students out of all STEM fields by 2026. Liberal arts students will not have their visas directly revoked, but the U.S. government will scrutinize these students for anti-American ideologies. It’s anticipated that Chinese students are likely to massively shift towards Canada or the UK, with the proportion of Chinese students in these countries potentially increasing by 10%. For instance, the University of Toronto plans to add 5,000 international student spots in 2026.
In the long run, this visa restriction storm will not only impact U.S.-China relations but also alter the global education market landscape. If the current U.S. policy continues, then both the U.S. and China may move towards complete disengagement.
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