Iran Press/America: The Trump administration is planning to cut thousands of visas for Chinese graduate students and professors because of allegations they have links to China's military, according to multiple reports published Thursday.
The plan, first reported by the New York Times, would see the administration cancel visas for individuals who have "direct ties" to universities affiliated with China's People’s Liberation Army. It would affect at least 3,000 individuals currently studying or researching in the US.
Those who are in the US would have their visas canceled and would be expelled while others who are currently abroad would not be allowed to return.
There are currently about 360,000 Chinese students studying in the US, according to the reports, which are based on comments from anonymous officials who were unauthorized to discuss the matter ahead of its public unveiling.
The looming action comes as the US and China remain locked in a bitter period in their relations amid the coronavirus pandemic, which Washington says Beijing made worse on allegations it willfully misled the international community about the virus' severity.
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