China: Trump's Harvard ban worsens US image for students

China: Trump's Harvard ban worsens US image for students

The Trump administration's decision Harvard University to deny enrollment of international students, has made waves in China. Officials and commentators are looking at this through one lens: the growing rivalry between Washington and Beijing.

Political tensions and education

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday: “China has always rejected the politicization of educational cooperation.” He added that the US move will only “tarnish its own image and reputation in the world.” There were similar reactions on social media in China, including the remark: "It's fun to watch them destroy their own strength," which received many likes on the Weibo platform.

Another comment read, "Trump has come to the rescue again," in reference to a hashtag about the news that had tens of millions of views. "Recruiting international students is... the main way to attract the best talent! With that path cut off, will Harvard still be the same Harvard?"

Conflict between Harvard and the US government

The announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) represents a clear escalation in the conflict between the oldest and richest Ivy League university and the White House. This is part of a larger effort to take control of international students in the USA as part of a wave of immigration. The Trump administration has already revoked hundreds of student visas in nearly every state, part of a broader immigration offensive.

Tensions between Harvard and the Trump administration have existed for months, with the administration demanding changes to the university's campus operations. The focus is on foreign students and staff who took part in controversial protests on campus related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Growing geopolitical conflict

However, visa revocation is not just a conflict between a university and the President of the United States. It is also the latest expression of a deepening rift between two superpowers. For years, China has sent more international students to the United States than any other country. These deep educational lines are now being reshaped by a growing geopolitical rivalry that is... ongoing trade and technology conflict has ignited.

Harvard's reaction

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement: "This administration holds Harvard responsible for promoting violence, anti-Semitism and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party on campus." The statement of DHS included allegations of ties between Harvard and Chinese institutions or individuals associated with military-related research. There are also ties to an entity blacklisted by the Trump administration for alleged human rights abuses.

Harvard did not respond to a request from CNN about the alleged partnerships. On its website, the university said it is “committed to maintaining the opportunity to host international students and scholars from more than 140 countries who enrich the university and this country.”

Impact on international students

The ability of America's elite universities to attract the best students from around the world has long been viewed as a critical factor in America's scientific and technological strength, as well as an important source of revenue for these institutions. The DHS decision not only bars Harvard from international enrollment for the upcoming academic year, but also requires current international students to transfer to another university to maintain their status.

International students make up more than a quarter of Harvard's student body, with those from China representing the largest international group, one said statistics from Harvard's International Office.

Among those students is Fangzhou Jiang, 30, a student at Harvard's Kennedy School who couldn't believe his university's status was at risk and immediately began to question whether his visa was still valid. "I was absolutely shocked for a few minutes. I never thought the administration could go this far," said Jiang, who is also the founder of an educational consulting firm that helps foreign students get into elite universities in the United States.

The future of educational relationships

Harvard has trained many prominent Chinese figures such as former Vice Premier Liu He, who played a key role in negotiating the Phase One trade deal during Trump's first term. But these relationships have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years as the United States increasingly views China as a technological rival and a threat to its own superpower status. More than 277,000 Chinese students studied in the US in the 2023-2024 academic year, down from over 372,000 in the peak year of 2019-2020 - a decline that coincides with the Covid-19 pandemic but also rising tensions between the two governments.

Rising nationalist sentiment and emphasis on national security in China have also led to a rethinking of the value of American versus Chinese universities.

The influence on future generations

The Department of Homeland Security's allegations about Harvard's institutional ties to entities and individuals with military-related ties reflect deep-seated concerns in Washington about China's access to sensitive American technology through academia. To address the perceived threat of Chinese students conducting espionage on American soil, Trump introduced a ban during his first term that effectively prevents science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates from military-affiliated Chinese universities from receiving visas to the United States.

These developments have worrying implications for many students who are now living in uncertainty about their academic and professional future. Already, at least a dozen senior academics with roots in China who worked in the United States have accepted positions at prominent universities in China in recent years. For students like Sophie Wu, 22, from southern China, who was accepted into a graduate program at Harvard this fall, the situation feels like a political hostage: "I didn't expect the administration to make such an irrational decision, and I feel that this is more of a punishment than a political decision."

The changes in the education system and the geopolitical tensions between the USA and China could significantly influence future educational relationships.