The Chinese embassy in Washington lodged a “solemn démarche with the US side without delay” on Thursday amid a growing backlash, including accusations of xenophobia, within the United States towards its decision to “aggressively” revoke Chinese student visas.
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The démarche – a form of official diplomatic protest – comes a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that his department would work with the Department of Homeland Security to cancel the visas of Chinese students, including those in “critical fields” and with “connections” to the Communist Party, as well as increase scrutiny of future visa applicants from mainland China and Hong Kong.
China’s foreign ministry had hit back against the move earlier in the day, but the embassy’s move marks an escalation.
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Absurd, anxious, concerned: Students react to US revoking Chinese student visas
Absurd, anxious, concerned: Students react to US revoking Chinese student visas
While démarches are a routine diplomatic tool, they are not usually delivered publicly.
“The Chinese side is firmly opposed to this politically motivated and discriminatory action,” the embassy said in a statement.
“The Chinese embassy in the United States has lodged a solemn démarche with the US side without delay, urging the US government to immediately correct its mistakes and ensure the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students.”
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The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At a briefing with reporters earlier in the day, department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Rubio’s decision was crucial to protecting US national security, accusing Beijing of “exploitation of US universities or theft of US research”.