The U.S. State Department issued 40,034 F-1 student visas to Chinese nationals from May through August 2025, down 46 percent from the average for the same period from 2017 to 2024, excluding 2020, and 34 percent from 2024, according to data released by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) on August 3. The May–August period accounts for most annual F-1 visa issuances as students prepare for the upcoming academic year.
The CIS report cited concerns that some Chinese students have been involved in espionage and theft of commercial secrets, while acknowledging that most Chinese students do not necessarily have such intentions. It cited a U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission report saying Xi Jinping has described overseas Chinese students and scholars as important to China’s efforts to become a global technological and military power.
The report argued that some Chinese students may face pressure from the Chinese government to assist its interests. It suggested considering restrictions on Chinese students entering the United States or studying STEM and other strategically sensitive fields. If such measures are not feasible, the report argued that reducing the number of Chinese students in U.S. higher education could still lower potential espionage and technology-theft risks and thereby strengthen U.S. national security.
Source: NTDTV, August 6, 2026
https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/mkt_ipad/2026/08/06/a104121777.html