Hong Kong vows to help Chinese students facing ‘unfair treatment’ in US

Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to provide “the best assistance” to Chinese students facing “unfair treatment” in the US, after the Trump administration said it would start revoking their visas and increase scrutiny of applications amid escalating restrictions.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also urged different sectors in the city to work with authorities to capitalise on the opportunity and fully present Hong Kong’s edge in higher education to the world.

Lee made his remarks on Thursday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US State Department would work with the Department of Homeland Security to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Communist Party or studying in critical fields”.

Rubio said the United States would also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future applications from mainland China and Hong Kong.

During a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, Lee said the city would “completely welcome” all foreign students suffering “discrimination” and “unfair treatment” in the US.

“The affected students come from countries other than the US, presenting a big opportunity for Hong Kong … The government and local tertiary institutions will provide the best assistance and arrangements for those who choose to continue their studies in Hong Kong,” Lee said, in response to lawmaker Lau Chi-pang’s question on whether the local administration would adopt a more high-profile approach to attract them.