China's Campus Influence Endures

China's influence at U.S. colleges remains strong despite Washington's attempts to curtail the Communist government's impact on students, teachers, and administrators.

That is the warning raised in a Washington Free Beacon report detailing how Beijing's campus footprint is evolving, especially after President Donald Trump's surprise announcement in August that he would allow 600,000 Chinese students to attend U.S. universities.

Trump's move was a major policy reversal that could more than double the current Chinese student population.

Pressed last month about student visas, Trump defended the decision as a practical, pro-growth "business" calculation, arguing that slamming the door on international students could damage America's university system and the revenue it generates.

Critics, however, worry the move could hand the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) more opportunity to shape campus culture, target research, and build influence networks among students and administrators.

The Free Beacon story argued that even as the controversial Confucius Institutes largely shuttered under U.S. pressure, many partnerships have reemerged under new names with similar aims: Subsidizing Chinese language and cultural programming while providing Beijing with a compliant campus "beachhead."

That concern is echoed by a detailed National Association of Scholars report documenting how universities often replace closed Confucius Institutes with closely modeled successor programs, and noting that China's former Confucius Institute operator, Hanban, reorganized under new entities and branding.

The Free Beacon also highlighted how China's influence extends well beyond classroom programming.

Elite U.S. universities, drawn by tuition dollars and access to Chinese markets, have built satellite campuses in China and entered partnerships with Chinese institutions.

One partnership cited involves the University of Michigan and Shanghai Jiao Tong University — an arrangement critics say raises alarms given documented ties between some Chinese academic programs and China's military-linked research ecosystem.

On U.S. campuses, Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSAs) are another major influence vector, according to the Free Beacon.

Senate Republicans have warned that CSSAs can function as "United Front" auxiliaries — organizing students, promoting Beijing's narratives, and pushing back against speakers or activism the CCP dislikes.

In a letter made public by Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's office, lawmakers said there are 150 known CSSA chapters on American campuses and described how the CCP's United Front Work Department uses diaspora organizations to mobilize overseas students through CSSAs and consulates.

The Free Beacon said China's K-12 ambitions are growing as well, citing concerns about "Confucius Classrooms" (the K-12 counterpart) and the difficulty of tracking rebranded relationships because many schools aren't required to publicly report them.

Florida provides a window into how states are responding.

In 2023, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration suspended school-choice scholarships for four private schools tied to Spring Education Group, citing links to Primavera Holdings and alleged CCP connections — an action that drew intense attention from parents and national security hawks.

The broader conservative argument is simple: While Washington has tried to push out Beijing's most visible campus vehicles, China's influence operations are adapting, moving from headline-grabbing institutes to quieter partnerships, student organizations, and money-driven relationships.

As American colleges become more dependent on foreign tuition, critics warn that the CCP may find it easier than ever to buy access, shape narratives, and harvest long-term leverage.

Newsmax Wires contributed to this report.