US President Donald Trump has defended his decision to give 600,000 visas to Chinese students, even though some of his supporters are angry.
Speaking to the Daily Caller, Trump said it would be “insulting” to ban Chinese students. He explained that many smaller US universities depend on the money these students bring. Trump also said the move would help relations between the US and China, while trade talks are still ongoing.
This is a big change from Trump’s earlier position. For months, his administration had promised to cancel or limit visas for Chinese students. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio even said the US would “aggressively” revoke visas for students linked to the Chinese Communist Party or studying sensitive subjects.
Some Trump allies are upset by the U-turn. Fox News host Laura Ingraham said the visas take away “600,000 spots that American kids won’t get.” Right-wing activist Laura Loomer wrote online that the US should not accept “Chinese Communist spies” as students.
But Trump argued that the students bring in money and help the US economy. He also stressed his good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “It’s good to get along with countries, especially nuclear-powered countries,” Trump said.
The White House said the visas will be issued over the next two years, similar to past numbers. Trump added that he did not expect anything in return from China. He simply believes it is “the right thing to do.”
-Peace News Desk