A sudden shift in US-China relations as Trump’s Visa Crackdown on Chinese Students Risks Academic Cold War. In a sharp and unexpected move, the Trump administration has reignited tensions between the United States and China, targeting two crucial fronts: technology and education. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s announcement on visa restrictions for Chinese students, paired with sweeping export controls on semiconductor design software, has sent shockwaves through diplomatic, academic, and economic sectors.