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By Robert Birsel and Shane Croucher
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The Chinese foreign ministry said it would not comment on U.S. visa policies after President Donald Trump added a $100,000 fee to H-1B visas for specialist foreign workers, but noted that China "welcomes outstanding talents" from across the world.
Why It Matters
The work-based visa, popular with tech companies, has come under increasing scrutiny in 2025 against a backdrop of tougher immigration enforcement by the Trump administration and a simmering anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S.
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Trump has been under pressure to act on the H-1B, despite being vocal in his support for the program over the years.
The visa, which sees tens of thousands of new and renewed applications each year, has become a focal point for those seeking a more restrictive approach.
What to Know
Trump's new H-1B visa fee is intended to curb the hiring of foreign over domestic workers in the U.S. H-1B visas are often used by tech companies to bring in foreign talent with particular skills they need.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun was asked about the new visa fees, which would impact skilled workers heading from China to the U.S., at a regular press briefing on Monday, September 22.
"In the era of globalization, the cross-border flow of talent has driven technological progress and economic development worldwide," Guo said, according to a translation of his remarks by China's state-run Global Times.
"China welcomes outstanding talents from all industries and fields globally to come to China, take root in China, and jointly promote the continuous progress of human society while achieving personal career development."
The H-1B visa issue is likely to be another irritant in relations between China and the U.S. On a related issue, China last month expressed frustration with the Trump administration over what it called the "unwarranted interrogations, harassment, and deportations" of Chinese students in the U.S.
Trump said on Friday after a telephone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping that he would meet Xi at a regional summit in South Korea at the end of October and he plans to visit China early next year.
Trump aIso said in a post on Truth Social that he and Xi had signed off on a deal to keep the Chinese-owned social video-sharing app TikTok operating in the U.S. China has not confirmed an agreement.
Negotiators from both sides met in Madrid this week and said they had agreed to sell TikTok's U.S. operations to American investors, pending approval from the two leaders.
What People Are Saying
Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday: "I just completed a very productive call with President Xi of China. We made progress on many very important issues including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal. I also agreed with President Xi that we would meet at the APEC Summit in South Korea, that I would go to China in the early part of next year, and that President Xi would, likewise, come to the United States at an appropriate time. The call was a very good one, we will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!"
What Happens Next
Trump said on Friday evening that the new visa policy was backed by U.S. companies, which would pay the new fee. An implementation date has not been announced.
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