The U.S. government's decision to restrict international student visas has triggered overwhelming condemnation from respondents across the world, according to the latest data gathered from an ongoing poll released on the website of China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Friday.
The survey conducted across CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian platforms, gathered responses from 6,886 overseas internet users within 24 hours.
It revealed that 82.1 percent of respondents condemn the measures as violations of academic freedom, with nearly 90 percent saying they shatter the "American Dream".
The suspension of visa interviews and proposed social media monitoring drew strong opposition, with 81.3 percent of respondents calling it discriminatory and a violation of privacy.
Visa cancellations targeting Chinese students were also criticized, with 83 percent of respondents saying they harm students' legitimate rights and hinder cultural exchange.
Overall, 88.5 percent of respondents view the U.S. sanctions as politically motivated, contradicting its values of freedom and openness, and damaging the country's global image.
The U.S. government ordered U.S. embassies and consular sections worldwide to pause scheduling new interviews for student-visa applicants as it is considering requiring all foreign students applying to study in the United States to undergo social media vetting, local media cited a cable dated Tuesday and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In addition, the government has used a variety of rules to target universities, especially elite and liberal ones such as Harvard University, and accuses them of allowing antisemitism to flourish on campus.
At the same time, it is carrying out immigration crackdowns that have resulted in arrests of a number of students.
Trump administration's restriction on int'l student visas sparks global backlash: poll
