Student visa curbs hurt US more

Precious business and connections lost, as Chinese students find cheaper alternatives with greater benefits elsewhere

The United States is leaving no stone unturned in trying to harm China, beginning with the trade tensions that have affected global growth. The US administration has now introduced tighter restrictions for student visa applicants from China. But if the intention is to hurt China, it is likely to end up doing just the opposite.

When Chinese students further their education in the US it benefits not just the students themselves, but universities and professors, a wide range of businesses serving the students and potential employers, apart from enhancing SinoAmerican understanding and friendship.

Social media is abuzz with discussions on this topic, but consider for a moment how the restrictions the US imposes on the students impact their impressions of the US government. It is no small matter if you realize most of them are potential future leaders of China.

The US administration is woefully shortsighted in needlessly pegging what is essentially a successful cultural exchange to a fraught bilateral trade issue. They should be aware that the Chinese students do have other foreign education destinations to choose from.

As for the students, they can perhaps seek comfort and insight from the great Chinese sage Lao Zi, whose famous Tao Te Ching contains the following lines:

“Disaster is that on which good fortune depends.

Good fortune is that in which disaster’s concealed. Who knows where it will end?” Its essence is captured in the famous Chinese story of “The Old

Man and His Horse” which, in its simplest sense, conveys the message of a blessing in disguise. The students can consider pursuing their tertiary education in other English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada and the UK, which even charge lower fees. Many have already done so.

Another, more challenging option is to go to a non-English speaking country with quality university education, like most West

European countries, South Korea and Japan.

Generally speaking, their universities charge fees much lower than their US counterparts. I taught for years in a Dutch university, which has been attracting many exchange students from good American universities.

The only “obstacle” these students would have to overcome is the need to study the language of the host country. But in our fast globalizing world, being multi-lingual can be a huge practical asset. It is certainly worth putting in that extra effort to gain admission in a non-English foreign university.

Even more important is the fact that China is a continent size country which does business with almost every country. Studying in Germany, for example, will help a student to not only know in depth how the German business system works and its technologies, but also its culture and habits, as well as its

The US administration is woefully shortsighted in needlessly pegging what is essentially a successful cultural exchange to a fraught bilateral trade issue.

current affairs and the challenges it faces. And unless the student is a modern hermit, he or she is bound to have German friends while studying there. The inevitable networking would in most cases prove invaluable someday when the student enters the job market.

In fact, it is acknowledged that the most important benefit to be derived from attending an MBA program, specially abroad, is the precious networking opportunities it affords. All these factors give the graduate advantages in looking for work in Germany, or jobs with German companies operating in China, Chinese companies with interest in German-speaking countries, in foreign services and tourist industries.

The benefits to China as a country are even greater. These overseas returnees will have holistic understandings of other countries, and this is knowledge you cannot acquire by reading books. China will have among its highly educated citizenry a significant number of people who are well versed in the language, culture, history, society, business systems and practices of other countries.

For a country with a global reach, this is a crucially important asset which money cannot buy. And it is no exaggeration that they would certainly promote greater international understanding whether they work for government, the private sector or for themselves.

The US administration’s aim was to use the student visa restriction to hurt China. The restrictions are instead inflicting damages to American universities, the academic community and those business sectors serving the universities and students. Is this the way to make America great again? The author is a retired professor of management who has worked at universities in Australia, the Netherlands, and Asia. His teaching and research interests are IT strategy, decision making, industrial policy, modernization, and globalization. The author contributed this article to China Daily, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.