WASHINGTON — seemingly caught his loyal conservative base off-guard and sparked backlash by saying he would allow 600,000 Chinese students into American universities.

That would be a departure for the Trump administration after it added for student visas, moved to at Harvard and expanded the grounds for to study in the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has singled out China, the second highest source of international students in the U.S., that the State Department would revoke visas for students tied to the Chinese Communist Party and boost vetting of new applicants.

Trump's announcement Monday adds to the confusion about the administration's and its approach to China as the superpowers tussle over trade and intensifying tech competition. It also marks , who tout an

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