How the trade war between China and the U.S. could affect Chinese students

Breanna Cataldo, Features Editor

Chinese students using visas to attend U.S. colleges could be affected by the tariffs and retaliations made between Beijing and Washington D.C.

Trade negotiations between China and the U.S. began wavering in early May, according to The Hill.

After the negotiations began wavering,  the Trump Administration decided to raise tariffs more than 10 percent on $200 billion worth of imports. In retaliation, China raised its’ tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. Agricultural exports. One of these exports being U.S. soybeans. China has reportedly banned the purchase of billions of dollars worth of soy beans from the U.S., according to the Latimes.

These tariffs and retaliations have become the “trade war” between the two nations, and they could affect Chinese students that are coming to the U.S. for school. The editor of the Global Times in China, Hu Xijin, sent out a warning to the trade war.

“Based on information I received, China will issue a warning on the risk of studying in the US,”  Xijin said, “This warning is a response to recent series of discriminatory measures the US took against Chinese students and can also be seen as a response to the US-initiated trade war.”

Some Chinese students wanting to study here in the U.S. had problems with limited visa durations, as well as a rise in visa refusals, according to The Ministry of Education.

Around 360 thousand Chinese natives study in the U.S. every year, according to The Hill.

The U.S.  receives a good portion of money from China through travel and tourism. According to an article written in 2018, U.S. tourist operators, air-lines and hotels made $32 billion. This is double the amount America spent on aircraft travels to China.

There were 29 Chinese Native students attending UNF these past fall and spring semesters, according to the UNF International Center. Of these students, 10 were attending for their degree, and 19 were exchange students. The UNF International Center doesn’t expect to see any changes due to the “trade war” until sometime next year.

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