US President Donald Trump stated for two consecutive days that the US welcomes Chinese students, attracting public attention. The first instance was on the 25th, during a White House press briefing, when Trump announced that he plans to allow 600,000 Chinese students into the country. "It’s very important," he said, adding that "we’re going to get along good with China." This announcement sparked controversy among the American right-wing camp. The next day, Trump reiterated this view during a cabinet meeting, saying that "it’s very insulting to say students can’t come here" and warning that without Chinese students, "our college system would go to hell very quickly." He also said that "we’re honored to have the students here," while also adding that the students would be vetted.
Trump only stated some basic common sense, yet it triggered all kinds of noises within the US. Fox News host Laura Ingraham questioned US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, asking how allowing 600,000 students from China is "putting America first"? Far-right figure Laura Loomer claimed that nobody wants 600,000 "Chinese spies." These voices echo the extreme rhetoric of former Republican congressman Mike Gallagher to "send Harvard’s Chinese students back." They all carry strong racist undertones and ideological bias, prominently reflecting the demonization of China by some in the US in recent years.
This logic of stigmatizing academic exchange as "Chinese infiltration" ignores the significant contributions Chinese students have long made to the US economy, science and technology, and education, and contradicts the original purpose of educational exchanges, which is to promote mutual understanding between peoples. In recent years, the US has taken a series of discriminatory measures against Chinese students: visa restrictions for STEM programs, unreasonable inspections of electronic devices at entry points, scrutiny of social media content, obstacles to academic cooperation projects, and so on. Although Chinese students account for roughly a quarter of the total international student population in the US, they have long been subject to discriminatory policies. The main reason behind this is the serious demonization of China in the US. Even The New York Times has acknowledged that Chinese doctoral students carry out sophisticated research in science and technology fields that would founder without them, but they have often been portrayed as spies.
As early as in June, Trump made a clear and official statement that "the US loves to have Chinese students coming to study in America." Yet this statement has not been truly translated into action; instead, unwarranted questioning and harassment of Chinese students at the entry have only increased. Some US border officers have carried out induced interrogations in hallways and other informal areas, even claiming that since bilateral relations are poor, such treatment is unavoidable. Some students were even held in the "small black room" for as long as 80 hours, without being allowed to take medication on schedule for health reasons. Houston has been the "hardest hit area," and the Chinese Embassy in the US issued a notice on Monday, urging Chinese students to exercise caution when entering the country through Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The controversy sparked by Trump’s "welcome Chinese students" statement highlights the importance and urgency of "steering clear of the various disturbances and disruptions" to China-US relations. This is not limited to people-to-people exchanges; in many other areas, including the Taiwan question and trade, there is no shortage of examples of the US "saying one thing but doing another." On the one hand, it claims to "value China-US relations" and seeks continued economic benefits from engagement with China; on the other hand, it panders to domestic xenophobic sentiment and exaggerates the "China threat" for strategic purposes, resulting in the lack of consistency and stability in implementing policies. In all this, some US individuals hold a Cold War mentality, constantly interfering with and undermining the foundation of China-US relations, and are actually digging a hole for the US.
Whether Washington can truly deliver on its promise of "welcoming Chinese students" will test its ability to "steer clear of the various disturbances and disruptions."
There are at least three areas where the US can take meaningful actions. First, immediately end the unjustified harassment, interrogation, and deportation of Chinese students and other legitimate Chinese groups traveling to the US, and hold accountable any border officers who act unlawfully. Second, lift unreasonable visa restrictions on Chinese students and put an end to the discriminatory and selective law enforcement against them. Third, at the policy level, further implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, turning it into concrete institutional safeguards and enforcement measures to foster a positive environment for people-to-people exchanges. People are watching this closely.
Educational exchange and cooperation help promote mutual understanding among peoples. This logic should not be hard to grasp. The so-called "backlash" presented by US media is far from the full picture of China-US engagement. Recently, the Oregon State Senate passed a resolution once again reaffirming friendly ties with China and recognizing openness and cooperation in the field of education, demonstrating the deep momentum and strong vitality of exchanges between the two peoples. It is hoped that the US will listen more to such authentic voices from the people and earn the trust of others with concrete actions in implementing the consensus reached by the heads of state.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0828/c90000-20358373.html