There are more than 270,000 Chinese students studying in the USA as reported, and when a push comes to shove, China will be the biggest beneficiary, with its universities now ranked highly in global higher studies statistics.
For Chinese parents, nothing beats having children studying close to home, at a fraction of the cost in tuition fees, savings on expenses like housing in the USA and cost of vacation travel. Cheaper, better and safer is what takes the cake, all thanks to Trump.
Again, it is going to be a huge loss for one side and a bountiful gain for the other. The tuition fees in USA universities are not to be sniffed at. And USA universities will have to find ways and means to fill up the big financial hole left behind by those Chinese students. This is on top of the losses by retail outlets and food and beverage establishments that cater to those students. The financial loss will not be confined to just the universities but is going to be more far reaching. Jobs may be lost too, for universities and supporting facilities.
Anonymous
According to a report by Kevin Walmsley on his site 'Inside China Business' citing reports on the rankings of top universities around the world, USA universities are falling fast in the rankings of the hard sciences - physics, chemistry and engineering, the building blocks of future development. Chinese universities are fast replacing them among the top tier universities.
ReplyDeleteThere is also a report that top scientists, engineers and researchers have been deserting the USA for more lucrative and safer job opportunities in Chinese universities. These Chinese scientist, engineers and researchers have faced problems working in the USA and have decided to migrate to China for a safer and more secure working environment. It is a massive gain for China and a crippling blow for the USA.
Remember that these are top scientists, engineers and researchers educated, trained and highly experienced that have contributed to the USA's technological edge over the decades in computer science, aerospace and nuclear science, and the loss would be more detrimental. They will bring with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise, with China not needing to pay a single cent to nurture them. It is a blessing in disguise for China.
Now, prospective Chinese students, wishing to study in the USA, are weighing whether to take the risk of facing further future visa banning, knowing that Trump's behavior is erratic and unfathomable. Moreover, the cost of an education in the USA is not cheap and the studying environment is not conducive in the face of worries about safety and possible disruption.
The world is larger than the USA and there are alternatives everywhere. Let not us be fooled that the world cannot survive without the USA. That is ending and even decoupling is no longer a threat that the Chinese feared. Now, it is the USA that feared decoupling and migrating the narrative to 'de-risking'. I am not fooled by the 'word salad' expertise of the USA politicians.