摘要：Graduate students from China pose for photos on campus after the Columbia University Commencement ceremony in New York, the United
Graduate students from China pose for photos on campus after the Columbia University Commencement ceremony in New York, the United States, May 22, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
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Within days after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced it would revoke Harvard University's certification to enroll international students, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed on Wednesday to "aggressively revoke" visas of Chinese students.
The move marks a sharp escalation in the politicization of education amid the intensifying strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing.
Shouting national security "concerns," the U.S. government has not yet presented any solid evidence. For years, Chinese students, especially those studying in "critical fields" such as semiconductor technology, aerospace and other advanced sciences, have been portrayed by Washington as potential "threats" who could funnel sensitive knowledge back to China, a country American politicians have long regarded as a rival.
This approach is part of a broader "America First" strategy aimed at curbing China's rise by restricting its access to U.S. knowledge. By targeting Chinese students, Washington seeks to disrupt China's innovation ecosystem and slow its progress on the global stage.
But in reality, this dangerous politicization of education will only exert boomerang effects.
"America has always thrived by welcoming the brightest minds from around the world," said Gary Locke, a U.S. ambassador to China in the Obama administration and chairman of the Committee of 100, an advocacy group of prominent Chinese Americans. "Shutting the door on Chinese students doesn't just betray our values – it weakens our leadership in science, technology and innovation," The New York Times quoted Locke as saying.
Academically, international students are integral to maintaining U.S. leadership in STEM fields, and Chinese students have long been vital contributors to American campuses, enriching the intellectual environment and promoting cross-cultural understanding.
In the 2023/24 academic year, China accounted for the second-largest portion of the over 1.1 million international students enrolled in American higher education institutions, with more than 277,000 students, trailing only India, which had over 331,000 students, according to the State Department and the Institute of International Education.
Barring these students from American soil could weaken the United States' innovation capacity and scientific competitiveness. The Trump administration attempted to stifle rivals' growth, but Wednesday's policy will ironically accelerate China's technological development by pushing talented individuals back to their home country, rather than to American institutions.
Financially, the visa crackdown threatens the economic vitality of U.S. higher education. According to NAFSA data, there are 1.1 million international students in the United States, with each student contributing an average of approximately $39,800 annually to the American economy. Based on this estimate, the Chinese students studying in the U.S. during the 2023/24 academic year would have generated over $11 billion for the U.S. economy that year. Losing this critical source of revenue could exacerbate financial challenges faced by American institutions.
"I think it is terribly misguided, counterproductive and another way in which we are shooting ourselves in the foot," President of Wesleyan University Michael S. Roth said, criticizing the U.S. government's move against Chinese students.
Worse still, treating an entire group of students as security "risks" based solely on their nationality is gross generalization that breeds discrimination and xenophobia. It conflates individual academic pursuits with political objectives. The threat of visa cancellations against Chinese students sends a message of mistrust and hostility, and this undermines the ongoing efforts in stabilizing China-U.S. bilateral ties, making constructive dialogues and cooperation more difficult.
Rubio's Wednesday announcement exemplifies the troubling trend of politicizing education as a tool in geopolitical rivalry. Broad-brush policies that target entire groups based on nationality undermine the very values that have made America a global leader.
来源：中国网一点号
