US President Donald Trump has announced that United States will permit the entry of 6,00,000 students from China, underscoring what he described as a “different” and improved relationship with Chinese premiere Xi Jinping under his administration.
Notably, the remarks also come amid fraught trade negotiations and tariff battles between the world’s two largest economies.
What did Trump say about Chinese students?
US President Donald Trump dismissed speculation that his administration might block Chinese nationals from studying in the United States.
“I hear so many stories about we’re not going to allow their students. We’re going to allow their students to come in. We’re going to allow it. It’s very important. 6,00,000 students. It’s very important,” he said.
Currently, about 2,70,000 Chinese students are enrolled in American universities, according to Fox News.
Further, Xi Mingze, the only daughter of Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan, may have returned to the United States to resume studies at Harvard University, as was reported in June this year .
News outlets picked up the story after a far-right political commentator Laura Loomer, also an ally of US President Donald Trump, claimed in a post on X that Xi Mingze “lives in Massachusetts” under the security cover of CCP guards.
How does this fit into US–China relations?
Donald Trump sought to project a warmer tone towards Beijing, stressing that ties had shifted under his leadership, as opposed to what it were under Biden administration.
“President Xi would like me to come to China, it’s a very important relationship,” he claimed, noting, “We’re going to get along good with China. But it’s a different relationship that we have now with China. It’s a much better relationship economically than it was before with Biden.”
The US President also reiterated that while Washington DC was taking “a lot of money in from China” through tariffs, he remained confident of maintaining cordial relations.
What about the tariff battle with Beijing?
The student announcement comes against the backdrop of an escalating tariff war. Earlier this year, Trump imposed a 145% levy on all Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with a 125% tariff on US exports.
Negotiators in Geneva agreed in May to pause further duties, while Trump had continued to float additional penalties — a 200% tariff on Chinese-made magnets, citing China’s dominance in the global market.
The latest tariff agreement between the US and China as of August 2025 involves a tariff truce extended for another 90 days until November 10, 2025. Under this deal, US tariffs on Chinese goods are capped at 30 percent, while China’s tariffs on US goods are capped at 10 percent, halting previously planned tariff escalations that could have pushed US duties on Chinese imports to 145 percent and Chinese retaliatory tariffs to 125 percent.
Why has Trump shifted his tone on students?
The remarks by Donald Trump on Chinese students mark a notable change from earlier this year, when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese nationals tied to the Communist Party or sensitive research fields.
Since then, Trump has taken a softer line, telling reporters in June that he has “always been in favour” of welcoming Chinese students.
What does this mean for the future of US–China ties?
By framing Chinese student inflows as part of a “different relationship” with Beijing, Trump is attempting to separate economic rivalry from people-to-people links. Analysts suggest the move could also be aimed at appeasing American universities, which rely heavily on Chinese enrolments.
Whether this softer rhetoric on students can coexist with a hardline trade policy remains to be seen. For now, Trump’s message is clear: the US–China relationship is “very important” — but one in which tariffs and student visas are both wielded as tools of statecraft.
