Trump opens door to 600,000 Chinese students amid Beijing trade talks

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Trump ramps up his student visa crackdown

 Why Chinese students are in the administration’s crosshairs

Donald Trump said 600,000 Chinese students would be allowed into the U.S. to study at colleges amid ongoing trade talks with China.

Speaking at the White House Monday, the president's announcement signals a potential thaw in U.S.-China relations after escalating tariffs and restrictions on Chinese students.

"I hear so many stories that we're not going to allow their students," Trump told reporters.

"We're going to allow their students to come in. It's very important, 600,000 students. It's very important. But we're going to get along with China," he added.

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President Donald Trump speaks as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump’s student visa offer comes against the backdrop of trade talks with the Chinese government.

Earlier this year, the administration imposed a 145% tariff on all Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with a 125% tariff on U.S. exports.

Negotiators in Geneva agreed in May to pause additional levies, but Trump has continued to warn of further penalties.

Last week, he floated a 200% tariff on Chinese-made magnets, citing what he described as Beijing’s "monopoly" over the global market.

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President Donald Trump, left, and Xi Jinping, China's president, shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I don’t think we’re going to have a problem with that," Trump told reporters.

"China, intelligently, went and they sort of took a monopoly on the world’s magnets. It’ll probably take us a year to have them," he said.

Currently, about 270,000 Chinese students are enrolled in U.S. universities.

In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to "aggressively revoke" visas for Chinese nationals, particularly those tied to the Communist Party or sensitive research fields.

Trump has since shifted tone, telling reporters in June that he has "always been in favor" of welcoming students from China.

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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP)

Trump’s remarks on admitting Chinese students came ahead of a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

When he was asked about a possible summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he sounded positive. He said he would like to meet him this year.

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"As you know, we're, we're taking a lot of money in from China because of the tariffs and the different things. It's a very important relationship," Trump said. "It's a much better relationship economically than it was before with Biden. But he allowed that. They just took him to the cleaners."