By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON and DIDI TANG Associated Press
President Donald Trump has sparked backlash from some members of his loyal base by saying his administration would allow 600,000 Chinese students into American universities. That would be a departure for the administration after it's added new vetting for student visas, moved to block foreign enrollment at Harvard and more. The State Department said in May that it would revoke visas for students tied to the Chinese Communist Party and boost vetting of new applicants. Trump's announcement Monday adds to confusion about the administration's restrictive visa policies and its approach to China as the superpowers tussle over trade and intensifying tech competition.
The 36th anniversary of a bloody crackdown that ended pro-democracy protests in China passed like any other weekday for most Chinese. And that's how the ruling Communist Party wants it. Security was tight Wednesday around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, where weeks of student-led protests shook the party in 1989. Hundreds and possibly thousands of people were killed in a June 4 crackdown. The Communist Party bans any public commemoration of the events. In recent years, that ban has been extended to Hong Kong. It is only in Taiwan that June 4 gatherings can still take place.
China has blasted the U.S. for issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas. The Commerce Ministry said the moves "seriously violate the consensus" reached at talks last month in Geneva when the nations agreed to radically reduce astronomically high tariffs on each other's exports. China threatened unspecified retaliation in the statement issued Monday. Both countries are in a race to develop advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, with Washington seeking to curb China's access to the most advanced computer chips.
By HUIZHONG WU and ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL Associated Press
Updated
China's leader Xi Jinping says no one wins in a trade war as he kicked off a diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia with a trip to Vietnam. Xi reiterating China's commitment to global trade in contrast with U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs moves. Although Trump has paused some tariffs, he has kept in place 145% duties on China, the world's second-largest economy. In an editorial published in state-run media, Xi said China and Vietnam should resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system, stable global industrial and supply chains. While Trump has said he respects Xi, he interpreted the meeting between the two Asian leaders as a sign they were attempting to put the U.S. at a disadvantage on trade.
