The U.S. State Department declared on Wednesday its determination to vigorously revoke visas of Chinese students. This announcement follows closely after Beijing's criticism of Washington for politicizing education, especially in light of Harvard University's recent ban on foreign student admissions.

U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated in a release that the department will work alongside the Department of Homeland Security to revoke visas of Chinese students, particularly those linked to the Communist Party or engaged in critical fields of study. However, he did not specify which fields these are.

Additionally, Rubio mentioned an overhaul of the criteria for scrutinizing future visa applications from China and Hong Kong, aligning with White House policies that prioritize the U.S. over China.

China's reaction was swift, with its government expressing strong opposition to the U.S. plan. The measures come just days after the Trump administration barred Harvard from enrolling foreign students for the 2025-2026 academic year, a decision influenced by recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus.

The Chinese government conveyed on Thursday that the U.S.'s move to revoke visas would harm America's global image and credibility. Mao Ning, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, criticized the U.S. for using ideology and national security as pretexts to unjustly cancel Chinese student visas, which she argued would severely impact their legitimate rights and cultural exchanges.

"China staunchly opposes this," Mao emphasized, asserting that such discriminatory policies only highlight the falsehood of America's professed 'freedom and openness,' as reported by the Chinese newspaper, The Paper.