The administration of US President Donald Trump plans to shorten the length of validity for some visas issued to Chinese citizens, the US Department of State said on Tuesday, as Trump works to counter alleged theft of US intellectual property by Beijing.
The changes are scheduled to begin on June 11.
The department said that under the new policy, US consular officers may limit how long visas are valid, rather than the usual practice of issuing them for the maximum possible length.
The department did not provide specifics, but a US official said that according to instructions sent to US embassies and consulates, Chinese graduate students would be limited to one-year visas if they are studying in fields such as robotics, aviation and high-tech manufacturing.
China identified those areas as priorities in its “Made in China 2025” initiative.
The instructions also say that Chinese citizens seeking visas would need special clearance from multiple US agencies if they work as researchers or managers for companies on a US Department of Commerce list of entities requiring higher scrutiny, the official said, adding that those clearances are expected to take months for each visa application.
The official was not authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity.
The application process itself would not change, the State Department said.
The changes come as Trump seeks to crack down on China’s trade practices, especially those related to cutting-edge industries that Beijing wants to dominate.
On Tuesday, Trump renewed his threat to place 25 percent tariffs on US$50 billion of Chinese goods, in retaliation for what his administration has said are China’s unfair trade practices.
The changes were foreshadowed in Trump’s national security strategy issued in December last year.
That document said the US would review and tighten visa procedures “to reduce economic theft by nontraditional intelligence collectors.”
It specifically mentioned possible restrictions on visas for foreign students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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