Far fewer young Americans now want to study in China, something both countries are trying to fix

The imbalance in the U.S.-China relationship extends beyond trade to the world of higher education. These days, only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, down from a peak of almost 25,000 a decade ago, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students at U.S. schools. China’s pandemic policies and restrictions on academic freedom offer some explanation for the decline. Whatever the reasons, U.S. officials and scholars bemoan lost opportunities for young people to experience life in China and gain insight into a formidable American adversary. Officials from both countries agree that the student exchanges should be encouraged, at a time when Beijing and Washington can hardly agree on anything else.