President Donald Trump has been compelled to defend his move to permit 600,000 Chinese students to enter the US despite severe criticism from many of his followers.
During an interview with the Daily Caller on Sunday, Trump asserted that China has been paying America “a lot of money” and that it was the “right thing to do” to let their children come to the US. He even boasted his equation with Chinese President, saying: “I have a very good relationship with President Xi.”
When asked if his comments were a negotiation ploy or something he believed would help the US, the POTUS asserted, “I think it's very insulting to a country when you say you're not going to take your students.” He further boasted, “You know, I get along with China.”
China is currently paying the US “a lot of money,” he said, highlighting that “they’re paying us hundreds of millions of dollars.”
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Trump hails US-China relationship
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Trump hails US-China relationship
{{/usCountry}}Trump emphasized the significance of the US-China relationship at a meeting with President of South Korea Lee Jae Myung last week. Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office, “We’re going to allow their students to come in.”
“We’re going to allow it. It’s very important — 600,000 students. It’s very important,” the President said, clarifying his remarks during the one-hour interview, saying that the 600,000 figure relates to “over two years” and that he is not seeking anything in return from Beijing.
Trump's contradictory statement on Chinese students
Trump's recent statement directly contradicts his former directive to Marco Rubio earlier this year to “aggressively” cancel Chinese students' visas, especially those “with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.”
Rubio opened up about the crackdown in a May post on X. “The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” stated the temporary National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State.
Trump's tariff war
Just hours before the two largest economies in the world were about to increase tariffs on each other's goods imports, the United States and China expanded their trade truce for a further 90 days.
Beijing also declared an extension, and Trump signed an executive order to maintain the suspension until November 10.
It indicates that China will maintain a 10% tax on American goods while the US will keep its 30% levy on Chinese imports.