President Trump is weighing restricting Chinese students from studying in the U.S., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview Monday, adding that the administration is likely to announce new actions against Beijing in the coming weeks and months.
The secretary made his remarks during an interview with WMAL's "Mornings On The Mall" radio show hosted by Vince Coglianese and Mary Walter. He was responding to a question over the administration’s efforts to crack down on Chinese nationals on student visas and in academic research positions charged with spying for the government in Beijing.
"I don’t want to get in front of decisions that the president is evaluating," Pompeo said when asked if it would be "quicker" to just not let any more Chinese students come into the United States for some period of time.
A Chinese national conducting research at the University of Virginia was arrested on Friday on federal charges that included an attempt to steal trade secrets and computer intrusion.
That arrest is the latest example of an increasing number of cases brought forth by federal law enforcement against Chinese nationals allegedly exploiting their positions in academia to commit economic espionage against the U.S.
In May, Trump was weighing canceling visas for thousands of Chinese graduate students and researchers coming from Chinese universities.
Restrictions on Chinese students and researchers would be a blow to American universities, as the students represent one of the largest groups of international students paying to study in the United States. Their tuition payments are seen as bolstering programs in key areas of science, technology, engineering and math.